Matt Fajkus completes urban Austin home with retractable glass walls
Texas firm Matt Fajkus Architecture has completed a family home in Austin that features rooms with sliding glass walls, enabling the spaces to be fully opened to the outdoors (+ slideshow).
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_4.jpg)
Called the Main Stay House, the dwelling is located on a slender urban lot in Austin's Bouldin Creek neighbourhood.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_3.jpg)
Encompassing 3,271 square feet (304 square metres), the two-storey house contains four bedrooms, an office, a playroom and a slender yard with a swimming pool.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_16.jpg)
The project was designed to enable "lifestyle flexibility" through clean lines, modest materials and a strong connection to the outdoors.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_15.jpg)
"The house isn't about over-the-top opulence, but style, creativity and substance," said Matt Fajkus Architecture, noting that the home was constructed for $250 (£173) per square foot.
The dwelling is fronted by an opaque bar, lined with stucco and clad in grey ironspot brick – a textured brick made with a mix that results in colour variations. Rectangular pavers lead to a hidden front door.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_12.jpg)
Behind the brick face is a two-storey volume sheathed in glass, wood, stucco and grey siding. A balcony is visible from the street.
"The entry sequence is a twist upon the conventional domestic front door, front facade and fence," the firm described.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_13.jpg)
"The masonry wall replaces the typical residential fence and frames an indirect access to the front door, functioning as a privacy barrier while revealing slices of the interior to the public street."
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_11.jpg)
Inside, a staircase bifurcates the layout, providing a division between the home's communal and private zones.
In addition to the master bedroom, the ground floor contains an open-concept living room, dining room and kitchen.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_7.jpg)
The south side of the home features retractable glass walls, which enable interior rooms to merge with a side yard and pool terrace.
The pool area "capitalises on the dappled light" from a tree on the property and is partly shaded by a roof overhang.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_8.jpg)
A slim, wooden staircase leads to the upper level, which houses two bedrooms, a playroom and a guest suite.
The hot climate of central Texas was a guiding force during the design process. The architect oriented the building in a way that minimises solar gain while enabling an abundance of natural light.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_10.jpg)
"Various openings are carefully considered in each interior space to withstand the harsh west sun, providing a balance of daylight and shading while reducing reliance to artificial lighting," the firm said.
The team incorporated double-glazed windows with low-E coatings. The windows are operable to facilitate cross-ventilation.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_19.jpg)
"The inside of the house is cool enough to live without a functioning air conditioner, even in the hottest months," the firm said.
The architect integrated other eco-friendly elements, such as low-solvent paint and wood products that use formaldehyde-free binders.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_1.jpg)
"Materials, finishes and surfaces are carefully considered, cleverly composed and crisply detailed," the firm said.
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_936_2.jpg)
Other residential projects in Texas include a lakefront retreat with a slender lap pool by Lake Flato and a concrete-and-glass dwelling by Wernerfield with a treehouse clad in pre-rusted steel.
Project credits:
Architect: Matt Fajkus Architecture
Project manager: Sarah Johnson
Design team: Matt Fajkus, Sarah Johnson, David Birt
Graphic support: Brandon Hubbard; Jose Gallegos
General contractor: Brodie Builders
Structural engineer: Smith Structural Engineers
Interior designer: Joel Mozersky Design
Landscape designer: Open Envelope Studio
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_1.gif)
![Main Stay House by Matt Fajkus Architecture](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/05/main-stay-house-matt-fajkus-architecture_dezeen_2.gif)