Two primary volumes frame the site: a north wing designed with aging in place in mind, including an elevator and barrier-free layout, and a south wing that supports a younger family with flexible living spaces, a playroom, and a combined office-library for a university librarian and an arts entrepreneur. The volumes are joined by a central glazed hallway that opens onto a recessed courtyard deck, creating a shared gathering space shaded by preserved live oaks.
Given the site’s location within the 100-year floodplain, the house is elevated above the 500-year floodplain. This elevation allowed for a concealed three-car garage tucked beneath the main living level, minimizing visual impact from the street. To preserve existing trees, including a mature American elm, five inverted grade beams were custom-engineered to span it’s critical root system.
The home’s distinctive flattened gable roof emerges from West U’s strict 35-foot height limit—an outdated regulation that complicates contemporary flood-resilient design. Rather than circumvent the constraint, the design embraces it, creating a profile that is both contextually responsive and quietly expressive.
Buffalo Residence offers a model for resilient, multigenerational housing in Houston’s increasingly flood-prone, regulation-bound inner ring suburbs. Construction is underway and expected to complete in summer 2026.
Client: Withheld
Program: House
Area: 487 m² / 5250 sf
Status: Construction
Services: Architecture, Interiors
Collaborators: Taylor Halamka