Canyon Lake Retreat

Tucked into the hillside above Canyon Lake, the residence embraces a dramatic site defined by steep slopes and wide Hill Country views. Designed as a private weekend getaway, the home provides a place of respite for visitors. From the street, the house maintains a discreet presence, but inside a continuous wall of windows opens the living spaces to the surrounding landscape.

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Originally envisioned as two cabin-like volumes joined by a screened porch — a modern interpretation of the Texas Dogtrot — the design evolved into a unified plan that still retains the openness and a strong connection to the outdoors. The retaining wall of limestone blocks anchors the structure while shaping an intimate courtyard between stone and glass, creating a protected outdoor room that feels both tucked into the hillside and open to the sky.

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Material choices reinforce a pared-down, durable character: exposed wood trusses, standing seam metal siding, and polished concrete floors emphasize simplicity and longevity while grounding the home in its environment. Inside, natural light is tempered by sound-dampening treatments and warm finishes, balancing the raw palette of concrete and steel with comfort and calm.

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Beyond the courtyard, the residence extends into an elevated pool and deck where the patio appears to hover above the ravine. This terrace offers a place of respite from the Texas heat while framing expansive, cinematic views of the hill country beyond. In daily use, the pool and patio expand the home’s modest footprint and transform leisure into a direct encounter with land and sky.

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The Canyon Lake Retreat reflects A.GRUPPO’s philosophy of tying buildings to their place. By carving into the hillside rather than building on top of it, the design makes the steep terrain an essential part of the architecture. The result is a modern Hill Country getaway — simple in layout, deeply connected to its site, and uniquely shaped by the contours of its environment.