Below is the strategy guiding the site plan and our overall thinking of how the landscape can provide the setting for a historical home and it's re-birth as an active space for both intimate gatherings of family and friends and spirited events which embrace Marfa culture and the surrounding landscape of Padre's, the Crowley, the railroad and the church bell tower.
Site Plan
Entry sequence
To restore the historical approach to house the front will be deliniated through low adobe knee walls set into a low maintenace garden. The approach is centered on the historical house's front door and privledges pedestrian access to the house. The house it set on a 6 inch elevated pad constructed of plate steel, back filled and finished with gravel. Low plantings can be added in specific places, but the intent is to keep plants away from the house. The pad concentrates circulation around the house on the east side, which will lead to the site of the future house. Inspired by an exisitng peach tree, the eastern side will be established as an orchard.
Courtyard
In the back of the house the pad completes the voided space created by the L-shaped arrangement of the house, by generating a courtyard. This space will be shaded by a new tree and act as a space for family outdoor dining and sitting around a fire. The courtyard will act as an extension of the new additions living space. Family gathering will be focused in this space. The breezeway acts both as the outdoor kitchen and a connection from historical house to new addition and connection from the courtyard in the event/ play field.
Private Courtyard - Daytime
Private Courtyard- Evening
Event/play field
On the west side of the house a flexible space will be established through a 12 foot tubed steel square arch. The arch can hold swings for playing, it can act as a support for a temproary shade structure,or a spinnaker panel can be stretched across to allow for an outdoor film screening. The field will be a compacted gravel surface and moments of soft native grasses.
Event Field- Film Night
Parking
Behind the arch structure is the location for a future airstream trailer. It's relationship to David Beebe's trailer will allow the field to contain some of the spirit found in nearby El Cosmico. Car parking is located behind the new addition. As the surfacing carried over from the field it has the ability to transition into more than 3 spaces if required and could accomodate a covered structure in the future. This space is ampleenough to contain any neccesary shed or water cisterns for rain water collection.
Future House
The decision to locate the future house in the south east corner is a motivated by both a desire to build a strong relationship with the historical house and to maintain a buffer between Padre's and residential spaces. The future house will appear to peek from behind the historical house, as opposed to sitting on a discreet lot if it were located on the west side. The future house will share the courtyard space and maintain quick access to cars for packing in and out of visits.
Fencing strategy
Through a sequence of 3 foot adobe walls, 5 foot tall fence panels and landscaping the site will maintain zones of privacy, neighborhood contact and screening. The panels will transition between three states: first privacy through denser material; second, transparency will define clear boundaries; and third, panels disappear while maintaining the posts to allow for access. Low adobe walls at the front will allow neighbors to see the historical house with no barrier and will be used to create more intimate space within the courtyard. Planting can be used in certain locations to provide additional coverage and soften transitions.
Rental Property
Though some screening will be desirable to cover the side of the Padre's building. David Beebe's trailer will be embraced by the site, and neighborly access will be accomodated through openings in the fence panals. If full fencing is desired in the future additional panals can be added to the exisitng scheme.
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