River Bend Residence

River Bend Residence is a 2,605-square-foot home designed by Lake | Flato Architects in New Braunfels, Texas, completed in 2024. Set above the Guadalupe River, the project responds to a wooded site and prioritizes minimal land disturbance and conservation of existing trees. The brief called for a tranquil retreat for a retired couple interested in travel, painting, and photography. The orientation of the home leverages prevailing winds for cross ventilation, while large roof skylights admit diffuse northern light into the interiors. The design is organized as a series of detached structures, each dedicated to a distinct function. The primary building contains shared kitchen, living, and dining spaces, while a separate volume serves as the master suite, offering privacy and a sense of escape. Additional structures include a flexible art studio that doubles as guest accommodation, a screened porch, and an open-air carport. Storage areas are intentionally modest in scale to support the owners’ goals of downsizing. The surrounding landscape, completed by Ten Eyck Landscape Architects, uses native plantings and is minimal in intervention, reflecting the intent to integrate the built elements carefully into the hillside environment with limited impact.

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