John Grable — Architect
“Our work is the product of a deep love of craft and material realized through an empathetic and collaborative process.”
The dry-stacked volcanic moss stone that characterizes the façade of the building was hand-harvested from the earth’s surface, following the tradition of ancient building techniques in crafting stone walls. Indigenous Hackett flagstone used as landscaping pavers, along with locally harvested Ouachita River gravel composing the road network, provide a direct psychological and physical connection to the outdoors through the experience of a stone promenade.
To further connect the inhabitant with the site, extensive energy studies were conducted during the design process to maximize the advantages of the site’s location. Located within proximity to natural hot springs, the unique opportunity to utilize geothermal energy presented itself. This form of energy harvesting came to have the largest impact on the building’s energy consumption. Additionally, natural daylight was utilized in each space deliberately providing the experience of the natural passage of time in the space through every season, every day. Extensive daylight studies were conducted to allow daylight in delicately, taking the personal experience of each space into consideration, while preventing glare and excessive solar heat gain.
The delicate balance in the connection between the indoors and outdoors works harmoniously in the design alongside an architectural metaphor that celebrates the wife’s professional legacy. In appreciation of her role in the Justice System of Texarkana, this part of her life was subtly represented through the demarcating stone wall; the key motif of the design that runs uninterrupted through the home recalls the wall that split the two halves of the courthouse on the border, one on the Texas side, the other on the Arkansas side. Further, stone walls recall the theme that the house wall separates public spaces from private spaces, representing wisdom that she had in seeking justice, listening to both sides of the story. The wall became the portal from mankind to nature. As a symbol that represents the owners’ legacies, the stone wall bonds the couple to the surrounding elements of nature.
Photography by Timothy Hursley
hotography by Timothy Hursley
Photography by Timothy Hursley