La Finca

Inspired by rural precedents in Latin America, La Finca is a country house that serves as a family getaway to relax and entertain away from the city. Located in the Texas Hill Country northwest of Austin, the single-family house is a low-maintenance retreat centered on gathering and shared experiences.

The design is based on a minimal, open-plan layout structured by a modular grid that distributes the program into two-thirds public and one-third private space. Within this framework, a glass façade system fills the structural bays, preserving expansive views of the Hill Country and the surrounding site. Deep overhangs reduce solar heat gain, while warm wood finishes create an inviting atmosphere.

Visitors enter into the kitchen, which anchors the public zone. Organized along a full-height wall clad in Douglas Fir tongue-in-groove, the white oak millwork includes a large island for cooking, eating, and gathering. The kitchen faces one of two solid walls that bookend the structure. A wood-burning fireplace not only provides physical warmth but also serves as the focal point for the living room. Opposite the main entrance, a second pair of doors opens onto an elevated terrace that runs the full length of the house. A powder bath and pantry are tucked away between the kitchen and another, less formal living area used for recreation and entertainment. White oak floors and Douglas Fir ceilings provide consistent warmth throughout the interiors.

A hallway leads from the public living spaces to a series of three private bedrooms. Each bedroom looks outward through a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass, with curtains offering privacy as needed. The plaster walls are broken up at intervals by thin flutes of Douglas Fir, echoing the rhythm of the window bays.

PROJECT
La Finca

LOCATION
Texas Hill Country

SCOPE
New Construction

PHOTOGRAPHY
Casey Dunn