The Lake Austin Boat Dock is located at the base of a heavily wooded bluff. This remarkable site provided the client with an opportunity for a unique retreat and functional boat dock nestled into the natural shoreline of the lake.

The structural response is light and dynamic; a structure that appears to float, belonging more with the boats in the lake than with the houses around it. The boat dock is accessible only by boat or tram, informing the desicion to use durable, low-maintenance materials that could be easily transported to the site.

Three elements were used to accomplish these goals: a box, a screen and a canopy. The box consists of a structural steel frame that contains two boat slips and a storage closet. On the top, a large wood deck connects to the tram from the house above. The screen is composed of 3.5” x 1.5” steel tubes spaced 1.5” apart. This latticed wall screens the interior from the lake while establishing a plane that reinforces the tree line along the shore. The canopy is a tensile structure providing shade to the upper deck. The sail-like element is conceived independently of the box and creates a dynamic contrast to it; its white stretched fabric, mast, tensioning cables and stainless steel gear are inspired by the lake’s sail boats.