---
title: "City Park Residence by Alterstudio Architecture"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/0adbc6b5-85be-42d5-bb92-a097f8faf317
source_url: "https://residentialdesignmagazine.com/2026-rdaa-custom-urban-house-city-park-residence-alterstudio-architecture/"
stack: https://stacklist.com/stack/c26df325-ae74-427e-bb6c-4c962b9f01f3
summary: "City Park Residence is a modern U-shaped house designed by Alterstudio Architecture in Austin, Texas, that seamlessly integrates with its natural hillside setting through strategic siting among mature oaks and innovative use of topography. The design orchestrates the visitor experience through carefully sequenced views, indoor-outdoor connections, and a dialogue between intimate courtyards and expansive landscapes."
tags: "residential-architecture, sustainable-design, landscape-integration, modern-residence, austin-texas, site-planning"
key_entities: "Alterstudio Architecture (organization), Kevin Alter (person), Ernesto Cragnolino (person), Tim Whitehill (person), Austin, Texas (location), western Austin (location), RD Architecture Awards 2026 (event), sustainable-site-integration (concept), Rauser Construction (organization), David Hocker (person)"
classification: "reference"
content_hash: "sha256:400699edc46163066220a567ee965e88de1ca04d8770e3509a9edbcb73ae97c3"
acp_version: "0.2"
token_counts_approximate: 916
visibility: public
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status: "final"
---

# City Park Residence by Alterstudio Architecture

City Park Residence by Alterstudio Architecture | Citation / Custom Urban House | RD Architecture Awards 2026 Atop the rolling hills of western Austin, Alterstudio had to site a modern residence perfectly to capture the welcomed breezes and both city and rural views. Because surveys don’t reveal the skew of tree trunks or the outstretch of branches, the architects used a drone to nestle the U-shaped house among mature oaks. A planted hillside passes through a lower-level breezeway and outdoor living area shaded by an indoor living area above, further interweaving the natural environment and the house, now a beloved venue for the owners to host events. “The sweep of land going under the house uses the topography of the landscape to connect more gathering spaces to the view,” the jury said. Like cinematographers, Kevin Alter, Ernesto Cragnolino, FAIA, and Tim Whitehill orchestrated the experience of the house to set up expectations and discoveries. A meandering driveway previews the site. A pedestrian bridge entryway threads through trees and teases the forthcoming vistas through fully glazed interiors, but a solid wall at the front door momentarily redirects eyes back to an intimate courtyard until the barrier ends, and one has no shortage of landscapes to admire. “Once extraordinary things become normative, you start to forget how amazing they are,” Kevin says. “Posing this back-and-forth between the different conditions of the site elevates the whole experience.” Citation | Custom Urban House City Park Residence by Alterstudio Architecture Austin, Texas Project Credits Architect: Kevin Alter; Ernesto Cragnolino, FAIA; Tim Whitehill; Daniel Shumaker, AIA; Matt Slusarek, AIA; Elizabeth Sydnor; Shelley McDavid, AIA, Alterstudio Architecture , Austin, Texas Builder: Eric Rauser and Brett Greig, Rauser Construction , Austin Interior designer: Haifa Hammami, Alterstudio Architecture Landscape architect: David Hocker, Hocker , Dallas Structural engineer: M. Scott Williamson, Structure Works Consulting Engineers, Austin Mechanical engineer: Kristof Irwin, Positive Energy , Austin Project size: 7,660 square feet Site size: 4.2 acres Construction cost: Withheld Photography: Casey Dunn Key Products Appliances: Wolf, Zephyr, Cove, Scotsman, Sub-Zero, Trade-Wind Cladding: Kyle Gordon Stone, US Lumber Brokers Doors, door hardware: FSB Entry doors: Enabler, Drophouse Design Fasteners: Simpson Strong-Tie Faucets: California Faucets, Cocoon Fireplace/fire pit: FireRock, EcoSmart Flooring: Salvatori, Yorkshire limestone, Kristynik Hardwood Flooring Garage door: Drophouse Design, Cowart Door Systems Hardware, cabinetry: Blum, Croft, Linnea, Hawa Sliding Solution Home control systems: Crestron Hot tub, spa, sauna: Design Ecology HVAC systems: Air Rite by Design, Mitsubishi Electric Insulation: Rockwool Lighting: Signature Lighting, DMF, Lost Profile, Jonathan Browning Studios Metal fabrication: Drophouse Design Paint, interior: Moises Paintings, Rubio Monocoat, Sherwin-Williams Photovoltaics: Lighthouse Solar, LG Roof, truss systems: Trussmate Shower: Cocoon (outdoor) Sinks: Julien, Lacava, Native Trails, Kohler Stucco/plaster: Prime Wall Systems Thermal barriers: PolyGuard Toilet: TOTO Tubs: DADOquartz, Duravit Underlayment, sheathing: Huber Engineered Woods, AdvanTech Ventilation: Panasonic Window shading systems: Austin ShadeWorks, Lutron Windows/wall systems: Quantum, Western Window Systems Alterstudio Architecture | RD Case Studies & Awards Loading… Previous Article 2026 RDAA | Custom Urban House | iolair | GO'C Next Article Parti Shot: Canopy by Piché Architecture