Tribeza Architecture Issue October 2021

Anyone that knows me, knows that my fear of heights is very real. I’m not a fan of flying, cringe in glass elevators and shutter at the thought of skydiving. I prefer my feet firmly planted on the ground. In this year’s annual architecture issue, we’re reaching new heights. Literally.

Introducing Cypress Valley in “Rooms with a View” — treehouses as magical and romantic as “reality” gets. The Yoki, Lofthaven, Juniper and Willow treehouses immediately transport you back to childhood, rekindling your sense of adventure in an enchanting world where you sleep in the trees. And from an ecology perspective, treehouses have a very light footprint. Amy Beilharz, co-founder of Cypress Valley explains, “They don’t provide impervious cover, which is important, so that we don’t cover our world with too much asphalt. Instead, we’re trying to use the structures nature has provided, which I think is the draw for people. It brings out their playfulness, their childlike nature.” Romance and adventure, in an eco-friendly environment high in the sky? I think my fear of heights has found its one and only exception.

Moving from reliving the past to predicting the future, three UT architecture students are hard at work redefining the capital city’s architectural landscape in “Future Present.” Last year, in their Advanced Design Studio class, Bella Chou, Will Hachtman and Coleman Brink caught the eye of their professor, and won the UT School of Architecture Design Excellence Award. “The idea was to think about what the UT campus might be like in 25 to 50 years, and how we might integrate new technologies, like drone technologies and robotic technologies,” says Professor Kory Bieg. The pandemic-weary student trio has designed a futuristic, dystopian and eerily prescient setting with images to spark your imagination. 

This issue also features “Sinner and Saint” — a project from Austin’s acclaimed Bunkhouse in collaboration with renowned architecture firm Lake | Flato — bringing ’70s vibes to SoCo with Hotel Magdalena. We also spotlight three residences from Bercy Chen, CG&S Design Build and Matt Fajkus Architecture with styles that include “Desert Serenity,” “Midcentury Made Modern” and “Home on the Range.” You won’t want to miss these awe-inspiring projects!