Hillside Residence by Furman + Keil Architects is located on a quiet residential street near Austin’s South Congress Avenue. The Canadian clients were drawn to the site for its walkable character, reminiscent of neighborhood streets in Toronto. The property’s urban context shaped the project brief, pointing toward a design that respected the street’s scale and pedestrian orientation while providing connections to the active local culture nearby.
The house presents a modest street presence with a small gabled volume at the front, referencing the 1940s bungalows that define much of the neighborhood, and deliberately offering contrast to the larger, newer houses often built nearby. Responding to a sloping site, the design incorporates a basement level partially embedded in the ground for the carport and utility spaces; this move reduces the apparent bulk of the building from the street while meeting maximum area allowed by zoning. Landscape and interior design collaborators were integral in developing outdoor areas and internal finishes that align with the project’s contemporary, midcentury modern, and minimal aesthetic.
