Pedernales Ranch

Located in a hardscrabble portion of the Texas Hill Country, this ranch honors the spirit of the region’s original grazing lands. Inspired by the raw, unselfconscious quality of the region houses where high-minded architectural theory was often irreverently abandoned for sheds and lean-tos. The architects sought to carry the primitive character of the owners’ original two-room dwelling into a new construction that feels rooted in its environment.

While construction is traditional, the absence of a sidewalk or front door highlights the house’s informal nature. Guests cross the lawn to an east-facing dogtrot between two stone structures and enter directly into the kitchen. To preserve the character of the original house, each new structure is only one room deep, allowing every room direct access to exterior porches. This approach is reflected in the use of unfinished stone, cypress, and salvaged pine. Through a series of sheds, porches, and a central courtyard, the house serves as a compound of gathering spaces that honor the regional vernacular.