WEST TEXAS ART STUDIO
Valentine, TX
Our clients - a talented artist and her husband, an eminent NYC graphic designer and communications and branding expert - were looking to add to their retirement compound in West Texas.
We based our design on the work of a local Texan contractor, who specializes in modifying pre-engineered and pre-manufactured building systems components.
As with every project, we accounted for our clients’ needs, making sure that our modular design outlined a footprint that would be able to house an art studio, office, and a common break-out space complete with a kitchen and bathroom.
Taking advantage of the location, we crafted a building form that utilizes the north light, while minimizing the south facing surface to reduce heat gain. The north facing surface of the structure was consciously elevated to enhance north facing light and capture the expansive mountain views and landscape - perfect for inspiring an artist’s creativity.
The siting of the build was paramount to developing the scheme, as we considered not only how the building would occupy its Texan environment, but also how we would modify the industrial system to fit the aesthetic of the local agricultural structures.
Over the course of three years, we monitored the project’s development and were thrilled to watch it take shape. The fenestrations were scaled and located to meet the specific functions of the office and studio space. As the studio was a significant feature of the build, we made sure to devise an interior lighting scheme that maximizes artificial light and augments the natural light.
While the cladding uses standard building components and techniques, we were also careful to assure that the structure would comfortably accommodate our clients no matter what season. It features state of the art heating and cooling, using thermal heat in the floors and a heat pump system for cooling.
With the project now complete, we are happy to report that our clients are as pleased as we are as they are able to enjoy a space that celebrates functionality as well as the surrounding environment.
"Bill Lenart is a master architect and builder. His designs perfectly meet the functional needs of a place; and the humanity in his work inspires those who inhabit them.
Bill has designed and built two offices for me in Manhattan and a studio building in west Texas. When you encounter one of Bill’s designs, what strikes you is how it fits its setting and expresses the spirit of its users.
That’s his philosophy of architecture and his gift."
Dean Alexander
Valentine, TX