September 20 – The American Institute of Architects’ Dallas Tour of Homes casts a spotlight on a Tyler Architect’s Flint home.
Starting October 23, the tour’s 15th anniversary will include geographic expansions to homes outside of Dallas, including one in Denton and one outside of Tyler.
“AIA Dallas celebrates the beauty and diversity of architecture in Texas homes,” said Michael Malone, FAIA, co-chair and founding director of Malone Maxwell Dennehy Architects. “This year’s collection offers different living options in terms of style and size; including contemporary, modern, rustic-modern, historical renovation, eclectic and industrial styles.”
After COVID-19 virtually postponed all tours last year, 2021 will feature a carefully crafted return to personal tours as well as virtual options. Seven houses will be personal only, two will be virtual, and one in Denton will have a hybrid option (both personal and virtual).
The modern Sugar Creek home in a wooded area outside Tyler features a new sculptural commissioned by award-winning Dallas photographer and architect Craig D. Blackmon, FAIA, and is being viewed virtually.
The Fitzpatrick residence is the home of Tyler architect Steve Fitzpatrick, owner and founder of Fitzpatrick Architects, the largest office in the state that is not in a large metropolitan area. Fitzpatrick and his team are known for a number of projects carried out by the company such as: B. Tyler High, the City of Tyler Fire Station 4, Fresh by Brookshire and more. Recently, the AIA Firm of the Year 2019 is working on the Smith County Courthouse project.
The opportunity for Fitzpatrick to showcase his home came because his company was a section of AIA-Dallas that hosted many events and awards. It asked architects if they would allow AIA-Dallas to have their homes on the tour.
Most home architects agree that they will be featured in the tour for clients, and less so are the actual homes of the architects. Fitzpatrick’s decision to open the doors of his home for a virtual tour was inspired by raising the level of design in East Texas.
The story goes on
The house was originally built in 2015 after being designed by Fitzpatrick and his wife the previous year. The house is close to the Cumberland Center, but still in the Flint countryside, among the woods and horses and cows ashore. The residence was also shown in the parade of houses when it was being built, where many people passed by.
The single story house contains four bedrooms, a living area or shared living area, a dining area, a kitchen in an area of the house that opens to a study, and a hallway gallery that leads into the master bedroom.
Several things were considered when designing the house. Fitzpatrick’s family at the time consisted of three daughters, six grandchildren and a mother-in-law. He said he wanted the house to be a place where small and large groups can meet and hold events.
“The whole house is organized. They are open spaces that are connected to each other. For example, there is no wall between the dining room and living room and the kitchen and study, ”said Fitzpatrick.
Since every room merges into each other in all directions of the house, there is glass and a view of the wooded, 3 hectare site.
“We wanted to take advantage of the daylight and look outside and take advantage of the beautiful views of the forest,” he said, adding that he wanted to connect the inside with the outside. In addition, all living rooms such as the living room, kitchen, study, master bedroom and the mother-in-law suite look out onto a rear terrace area with a swimming pool.
The large but private swimming pool, located at the back of the house, is the focal point of the house, said Fitzpatrick, adding that it is a good size for hosting parties and events.
“The truth is, everyone in the family can be together even if they do different things. When the boys are watching a soccer game and someone is working, someone is cooking in the kitchen, someone is watching a Hallmark movie, and someone is doing homework, everyone is in different rooms, but you can still see each other and you are connected, “he said.
Fitzpatrick said much of the structure is made up of steel frames with structural wooden decks that offer plenty of space. A Daiken HVAC system, LED lighting and Crestron controllers are used to manage energy consumption. Outside, steel, stone, metal wall panels, aluminum windows and metal roofs are used to ensure durability and freedom from maintenance.
Additional insulation and energy-efficient glazing ensure low energy consumption throughout the house despite the very open appearance. Operable awning windows are placed deep in the walls to circulate air throughout the house. He said the attention to limiting energy consumption has resulted in an energy consumption of around 60% of comparable structures.
Fitzpatrick said the home was built to take advantage of sun exposure and outdoor space; for example, the pool faces south to get sunlight all day. The rear of the house faces east so there is shade on summer afternoons.
Fitzpatrick also stated that while there is plenty of glass throughout the house and it is surrounded by trees, he purposely designed the sloped and metal roofs with materials designed for long life and less maintenance.
For those who will be touring Fitzpatrick’s house virtually, he hopes they will see a home where they can visualize themselves, feel comfortable and have a great feeling of taking advantage of views, light and different volumes of space that are open and connected and at the same time have privacy.
“Not all houses have to look the same. You can do something that fits your lifestyle and actually improves and enriches your life. When I walk around the house I feel great every day because I “look outside and it’s just a beautiful place,” said Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick’s design and architectural inspiration doesn’t necessarily come from one particular architect, but from many. Frank Lloyd Wright’s combination of indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as glass and windows, inspired Fitzpatrick’s house. He also studied Richard Meier, an architect who designs modern houses, and was inspired by his houses.
The self-guided tour takes place on Saturday, October 23rd and Sunday, October 24th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Various ticket options are available to suit every tourist’s interests. Tour tickets are $ 45 for the personal tours and $ 45 for the three virtual tours. A combined all-access pass for all 10 properties (personal and virtual) costs $ 75. Tickets are now available at www.hometourdallas.com.
Ticket holders get access via an app to plan a more complete event experience and to enjoy content during the tour, including maps, pictures, insights from tour architects, access to the virtual tours, photos, videos and additional content. In the week before the event, the addresses of the houses will be available on the website and in the app.
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