A steel superstructure made it possible to construct The Roost, a private, custom two-level screened porch and deck structure on the edge of a small waterway. It is located at the bottom of a bluff and is sheltered by large trees. Across the water is a nature preserve, and the secluded waterway is only navigable by canoes and kayaks. Notably, the structure has become a roost for owls at night, inspiring its name.
Troy Miller, principal at Furman + Keil Architects PLLC, says, “Conceived as an elevated platform to allow the owners to inhabit nature, the upper deck floats over the water, providing views into trees and down a slough. A flood-resistant steel superstructure suspends habitable areas in a tree canopy, providing a well-designed perch for birdwatching. The deck below serves as a boat launch and provides access to the shoreline. The materials selected prioritize durability and integration into the landscape.”
The metal superstructure allowed for minimal ground coverage at the lower-level deck, which helps native plantings to regrow the wetland area.
Steel was essential to the project, Miller says. “Steel construction and a metal roof allowed us to meet the programmatic requirements while achieving flood resilience and minimal impact on the landscape and waterway.”
The 82 m2 (880 sf) outdoor recreation structure was built in place of a previous boat dock and apartment building. Eight of the 12 original steel piles from the existing structure were repurposed. The piles were extended vertically and used as the primary structure, while additional steel beams support a secondary wood structure. To reduce the impact on the slough, three piles in the center of the waterway and one on the shore were removed.
“The goal of reusing the existing metal piles solidified the decision to utilize metal as the primary structural material,” Miller says. “The corrugated metal roofing was selected both for its functional and aesthetic properties. With minimal finishes, all the materials, details, and connections are visible and contribute to the structure and aesthetics.”
Black Cloud Welding LLC installed and custom-welded the steel superstructure, custom-welded steel handrails, and 37 m (120 ft) of 3.2 mm (0.125 in.) stainless steel cable railings.
Straight Solutions Inc. installed 24-gauge steel 22 mm (0.875 in.) corrugated C-panels with a paint-grip finish on the roof. The C-panels allowed extended eaves and rakes with minimal structural support.
Regarding the roof panels’ finish, Miller says, “The paint grip finish allows for both sides of the roofing material to be exposed since they are the same color and finish. Paint grip was chosen over Galvalume for its darker tone and ability to disappear into the landscape.”
Owners: Meredith Driess and David Brown
General contractor: Crowell Builders LLC, Austin, Texas, crowellbuilders.com
Architect: Furman + Keil Architects PLLC, Austin, Texas, fkarchitects.net
Fabricator/installer: Black Cloud Welding LLC, Buda, Texas
Metal roofing installer: Straight Solutions Inc., Austin, Texas, austinmetalroof.com
Cable railings: D&A Wire Rope Inc., Austin, Texas, dawirerope.com
Metal roof panels: Central Texas Metal Roofing Supply Co. Inc., Austin, Texas, ctmrs.com
Steel components: Kloeckner Metals Corp., Roswell, Ga., kloecknermetals.com
