HOUSE 1700

House 1700, completed in 2015 by Collaborative Design Works, is a 5,000-square-foot residence in Houston’s Cherryhurst subdivision. The project was shaped by local development constraints, including deed restrictions and specific homeowner association requirements, as well as the presence of a mature oak tree in the city’s right of way. Coordinating with both the city planning department and the HOA, the architects negotiated adjustments to the usual setback lines, reducing them in one area while preserving greater distance around the tree. This compromise allowed the design to balance site limitations with the aim of protecting the existing landscape. The massing and formal decisions for the house respond directly to these parameters. The floor plan and main living areas orient toward the oak tree, integrating it as a focal point in the daily experience of the home. The roof slopes and the configuration of the uppermost floor—limited to a dormer structure as requested by the HOA—contributed to the home’s contemporary character within a modern architectural language. Materials and spatial organization were selected to complement these planning-driven forms, resulting in a residence defined by negotiation between regulation, preservation, and modern design priorities.

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