Galveston Townhomes
This property, conveniently located between Galveston’s historic district and the island’s Seawall Boulevard, presented three main challenges:
It is a narrow, deep property and the owners were on a limited budget- so they had decided they wanted two identical homes, one to rent and one to to live in.
The owners also wanted a contemporary architectural style without drifting too far from the traditional Victorian style houses on the street, and in the island of Galveston in general.
This is how the two townhomes came to be, one slightly setback from the other in order to allow both to have an unobstructed view towards the ocean.
Second floor plan: the living room with a small balcony off of 21st street, a dining room and a kitchen that opens up to a back patio and the generous backyard.
The design keeps with the spirit of the island and its Victorian architecture in two ways: the proportions of the houses and their pitched roofs as well as the use of siding as the material of choice for the front facade.
However, and as a reflection of the owners taste for contemporary architecture, we played with the materiality, directionality and texture of the siding: vertical 8 inch wide cedar siding on the foremost volume, and smaller, horizontal 3 inch cedar siding as a second layer on the rest of the facade further back.
The entrance to the townhome: a naturally lit staircase, hints of color from the kitchen on the second floor and the green railing of the staircase, organic forms of greenery beneath the staircase, and the subtle door to the garage on the left hand side.
Standing in the living room, looking towards the dining room, the kitchen and the back patio beyond- the powder room and laundry rooms are hidden behind the texture green wall
Material board for the living space area on the second floor
The last floor is a versatile space that can be used as a home office and an extra bedroom. The clients are avid readers, thus the reading nook that enjoys a clear view towards the ocean. This floor also gives access to the roof terrace, a generous space with an outdoor lounge and dining area that face the sunset.
