TRAVIS HOUSE

A house that descends its hillside on Lake Travis in three terraces of board-formed concrete and cedar. Each level has an outdoor room of its own, and the plunge pool sits on the middle terrace, where the view opens widest.

Board-formed concrete retaining walls carry the terraces; cedar-clad volumes sit on them with glass toward the lake. A white oak stair runs the full height inside the concrete spine.

A steep lot and a long way down to the water. The terraces turn the descent into a sequence of rooms.

A house experienced on the way down, with the lake growing larger at every landing.