Rio Grande Ranch
The defensive posture of the new ranch compound alludes to the volatile history of the remote life in the deep south Texas desert. While a working ranch house is functional, the primitive neoclassical detailing expresses the influence of the 19th-century regional work of German immigrant Heinrich Portscheller.
Project Credits
Location
Rio Grande City, Texas
Structural Engineer
Solorio
Encaustic Tile
Original Mission Tile
Masonry
NG Construction
Millwork
Oncken & Sons Cabinets Shop
Doors & Windows
Capital Hardwoods & Millwork
Photography
Peter Vitale
Walls constructed of local stone provide safe passage between buildings and access to interior courtyards.
Stone basins within the courtyards secure the water source.
The inner courtyards create an exotic counterpoint to the desert beyond.
