22 Years of Develop/Design/Build
KRDB was formed with the intention of making modern design accessible, both economically and intellectually, to the broadest cross-section of the population. We believe in the transformative power of design in the built environment. Inspired space increases consciousness and heightens ones sensitivity to the surrounding world. Whether it is a modest dwelling, the local park or a town hall, we believe in architecture’s ability to inspire people, and enrich the actions and lives of communities. We endeavor to make architecture a daily experience for as many people as we can. In this pursuit, we design and build.
The buildings we execute grow out of a careful consideration of place and intention. Each project brings with it a different set of interests and expectations, needs and desires, challenges and questions. We listen, and design in response to our client’s desires. The client, site and program create the milieu in which a project is conceived, developed and executed.
Process is the work, not simply a means to an end. While a client may approach us as a result of a shared aesthetic sensibility, our intention with each project is to engage the elements as a whole, without preconceptions. Part of that process is an exploration of the program that attempts to relieve the project of unnecessary limitations.
The possibilities are often not entirely evident to a client who has considered the program from a limited number of perspectives. We attempt to define the matrix of possibilities clearly; program, site, budget, users. Through the distillation of these constituent elements poetry emerges. This occurs through dialog and refinement, the narrowing down of multiple scenarios.
The buildings we design are described as modern. We hesitate to employ the term, but are left without an adequate substitute. To us, modern is not limited to a period or style. Modern is timeless and contemporary, abstract and tactile, uncanny and familiar. Modern is not simply an adjective; it is a methodology. It is a process-oriented approach, concurrently universal and highly personal. In this way, we hope that our buildings provide a framework that pulls the individual towards a transformative experience.
KRDB is a vertically integrated and entrepreneurial firm, acting as a developer, designer and builder. We have also consistently tested and pushed the materials and methods of our trade with and eye towards performance, economy and aesthetics. With a depth of knowledge informed by multiple disciplines, our design process is enriched and our buildings provide a value proposition that manifests both financially and experientially.
Philosophy
Research & Consulting
The primary conceptual underpinnings of our practice, attainable design and sustainability, have from the beginning driven us towards being a research driven practice. Finding the right balance of aesthetics, performance and economy is a fluid equation from project to project. The fact that we are vertically integrated allows us the freedom to conceive, implement and test in ways that conventional architectural practices cannot. This depth of knowledge applies not only to building technology and design, but to urban planning, strategic partnerships and project financing. We look to apply our creativity to all aspects of the endeavor of creating urban fabric.
Planning
The key to successful urban planning is thoughtfulness along the scale of the city from the macro to the micro, the block to the entry portal. Our practice began with idea of making surgical incisions in “transitioning” neighborhoods, that might suggest a different urbanism than our fledgling town-becoming-a-city had considered. We looked to cluster projects, and seed design in fallow fields. These projects continued to grow over time, from two and four unit SFR developments, to mixed-use projects, and a 40 unit development on 5.5 acres with small lot zoning. The common theme has remained a concern for the neighborhood scale, and the human scale, concurrently.
Design
Our design philosophy draws equally from the Case Study/Eichler school and the Detroit/Chicago midwestern/modern/pragmatic. This is an architecture that has as its primary concerns; fitness of place, appropriateness to client, and cognizance of means. Architecture at its best, tells a narrative first, and is noticed organically in procession. We like to leave the bombast to the actors and politicians.
Awards & Recognition
2016 Austin Green Awards, SOL Austin, Project of the Year
2015 AIA Homes Tour, Gates Residence
- 2012 AIA Merit Award, Heywood Hotel
2011 AIA Homes Tour, Frick Residence
- 2010 AIA Merit Award, Frick Residence
2009 AIA Homes Tour, 15th St Residence
2003 AIA Merit Award, Avenue F Studio
2002 AIA Homes Tour, Avenue F Studio
2002 AIA Annual Firm Achievement Award
- 2011 AIA Citation of Honor Award, Sol Austin
- 2005 University of Texas Student Design Award, Sugar Creek
2002 AIA Citation of Honor, Cedar Avenue