The Edgeland house

A glimpse of the future, inspired by the past, the Edgeland home is a showcase of art, nature, technology and culture all in one architectural design. Designed by Belgian-Taiwanese architecture studio Bercy Chen, this sustainable home is constructed on a rehabilitated brownfield site in Austin, Texas for a science fiction writer who was fascinated by 21st century human habitation of abandoned industrial zones in urban settings.

When viewed from the shores of the Colorado River, the Edgeland is only visible as a narrow cut into the ground. Since preserving the natural landscape is one of the main focuses of the design, the construction maintained minimal disturbance to the site. Built to restore the slope, the two pavilions are separated to house the living and sleeping areas where elements extend to the landscape.

The Edgehouse uses thermal mass of the underground earth and an insulated green roof to protect against heat and cold all year round with a back up hydronic heating system to address the Texan climate. To enhance the local ecosystem, the architects collaborated with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center to bring 40 lost native plant species back to the site.