Reiss Residence
The Reiss Residence is located in Houston, Texas on a corner lot near Rice University, in a neighborhood originally developed in the 1910’s. The property is surrounded on three sides by public streets. To the north is Sunset Boulevard a prominent residential street with a planted median. To the west is Greenbriar Avenue, a major north-south thruway. To the south is a neighborhood service alley used by local residents for access. The interior spaces of the house are designed around a private garden with a small pool. The kitchen is a double-height room with tall, glass walls facing in to the private garden. The outer façade, or skin, of the house is designed to obscure the interior spaces from outside, while otherwise providing specific views from the interior spaces to perimeter gardens. Facets, cuts, creases and perforations are effects used in the outer skin to modulate light and views between the public and private areas of the house.
See below to download Project Sheet (pdf)
Front Elevation on Sunset Boulevard
Side Garden Elevation at Greenbriar Avenue
Site plan; Image from Google Earth
View of North-East Corner.
View of Interior Courtyard
North Elevation at Sunset Boulevard
West Elevation
South Elevation at Alley
East Elevation at Courtyard
Interior view of kitchen with views to adjacent formal dining (right) and planted garden (left).
Interior view of kitchen.
Interior view from kitchen to breakfast area and exterior courtyard beyond.
See Also
— Principals
Dawn Finley
Principal Dawn Finley received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Michigan College...
— Characters
Eric Hughes
Eric Hughes received an M.Arch at Rice School of Architecture, Houston, Texas, in 2007. His academic...
— Principals
Mark Wamble
Principal Mark Wamble received a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University and a Master of...