Lake Flato uses "refined material palette" for infill art gallery in Texas
Texas-based studio Lake Flato Architects has created an infill gallery space in a small town outside of Austin, USA, with a "quiet material palette, carefully scaled massing, and simple forms".
Opened on April 25, the Marble Falls Arthouse is located about an hour northwest of the Texas capital.
The 4,119-square-foot (383-square-metre) space was designed as an intimate yet open venue where the local community can experience artwork from the collection of Mickey and Jeanne Klein.
Lake Flato Architects came onto the project in 2022 – continuing the firm's ongoing collaboration with the Kleins – to create a small gallery and workspace that was woven into the daily life of the Texas Hill Country town.
"From the beginning, our goal was to create a building that feels both welcoming and deeply connected to downtown Marble Falls," said Grace Boudewyns, Arthouse lead designer and associate at Lake Flato.
"We hope Arthouse feels like it has always belonged here and will continue to grow alongside the community."
The infill building sits beside a 1910 post office in the heart of Marble Falls' downtown, and the designers paid careful attention to the scale, rhythm and character of the other historic facades along Main Street, allowing the new building to provide continuity to the streetscape.
The thin corrugated awning aligns with the parapet of the adjacent neighbourhood, while the multi-toned limestone facade acts as an elegant, elevated version of the vernacular stone buildings.
"A refined material palette of limestone and steel creates a quiet backdrop for the artwork and allows the collection to remain the primary focus," the studio said.
Directly behind the streetfront facade is a small, contemplative courtyard designed by fourth-generation Japanese gardener Sada Uchiyama.
"The courtyard provides a peaceful transition between street and gallery while reinforcing the project's commitment to reflection, accessibility and community gathering," the team said.
The linear ground floor – with 12 foot ceilings – will hold rotating exhibitions that centre around a large skylight, while the upper level is set back from the perimeter of the building with a deep overhang that shades the office space.
The screened-scrim facade and shaded exterior circulation elements help mitigate solar gain, while allowing light and air movement into the long plan.
"One of the greatest successes of Arthouse was demonstrating how a highly compact infill site became a meaningful civic and cultural destination through thoughtful design," the studio said.
"A key lesson we'll carry forward is the value of restraint – using a quiet material palette, carefully scaled massing, and simple forms to create architecture that enhances its surroundings and elevates the experiences within it rather than competing for attention."
The Kleins' extensive collection spans contemporary painting, photography, sculpture, drawing and design.
The exhibitions at Arthouse will be curated by Mickey Klein himself, starting with an exhibition called Words Matter, with pieces from photographer Mary C Sloane, multidisciplinary artist Kenturah Davis and painter Faith Ringgold.
Recent Lake Flato designs across Texas include a porch-like library in Cedar Park, renderings for a "transformational" expansion of the San Antonio airport and a vision for a new urban development in Fort Worth.
The photography is by Andrea Calo.
Project credits:
Design architect: Lake Flato
Architect of record: Lake Flato
Interior design: Lake Flato
Builder: Square Foot Solutions
Landscape designer: Sadafumi (Sada) Uchiyama
Lighting designer: Studio Lumina
Structural engineer: M. Scott Williamson, PE
MEP engineer: Consulting Engineering Services
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