roam ranch: baldridge architects designs modern home for rural texas

baldridge architects arrives in texas hill country

Built on a working ranch outside Fredericksburg, Texas, Roam Ranch stands as the latest project by Austin-based studio Baldridge Architects. Spanning 4,362 square feet, this single-family home exemplifies a design-minded fusion of modern architecture and a Central Texas aesthetic.

The clients, who had previously collaborated with Baldridge Architects on a modern dwelling in Austin, Texas, sought a change of pace. Yearning to escape the constraints of city life, they returned to the firm with a vision for a new home on their ranch property, ‘Force of Nature,’ where they practice sustainable bison and turkey agriculture. Unlike their urban residence, this new residence also needed to accommodate their business endeavors, including podcast recording and hosting educational events.

images © Casey Dunn

drawing from the heritage of roam ranch

The team at Baldridge Architects worked with its clients to create a space that embraces the heritage of Roam Ranch and incorporates modern elements. Importantly, they wished to retain two existing structures on the property: a dedicated kitchen and dining area, and a separate bedroom volume.

Ultimately, the group achieved a cohesive design that balances both old and new. Bedrooms, a carport, kitchen, office spaces, a great room, and a gym are united under single roof. The architects use corrugated polycarbonate roofing that matches the existing structures along the entryway and carport while allowing natural light to filter into the existing rooms. The resulting structure evokes a reinterpretation of the classic Central Texas ‘dog-trot’ house.

Roam Ranch is a modern, rural home designed by Baldridge Architects

contemporary design for a working ranch

Baldridge Architecture’s design for the house at Roam Ranch was informed by practical challenges. The clients needed to continue living within the existing structures throughout construction, even with a newborn in tow. The architects ensured the design factored in the logistics of uninterrupted occupancy during construction. These logistical considerations, however, remain invisible in the final product, which presents a fully-resolved space. This attention to detail is evident in the subtle design elements such as a raw stone hearth which integrates with the floor, or the way the flitch beam and steel structure provide additional support for the cantilevered sections of the compound.

the 4,362-square-foot residence sits on a working ranch where the owners practice sustainable agriculture
the clients previously collaborated with Baldridge Architects on a modern home in Austin
the design incorporates two existing structures on the property while maintaining a modern style

the layout reinterprets the classic Central Texas ‘dog-trot’ house

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project info:

project title: Roam Ranch

architecture, interiors: Baldridge Architects | @baldridgearchitects

location: Texas, USA

photography: © Casey Dunn | @caseycdunn

project architect: Burton Baldridge
project manager: Brian Bedrosian
senior designer: Drew McMillian

builder: Duecker Construction Company
structural engineer: Dennis Duffy Engineering
landscape: Campbell Landscape Architecture (pre-existing)