With a focus on sustainability and conservation, architect Bob Harris, of the Texas-based firm Lake | Flato, will present a multi-media discussion of the book Lake | Flato Houses: Respecting the Land, on Thursday, July 27 at Elk River Books.
A Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, Harris is Lake | Flato’s partner-in-charge of sustainability and a leader of the Eco-Conservation Studio. He has been described as “an innovator who pushes design in new directions, finding beauty in sustainable solutions and pioneering regionally based designs for buildings that elegantly do more with less.” His work has received national recognition for design including the AIA National Honor Award, six AIA COTE Top Ten projects, and numerous other national, state and local awards. Under his leadership, Lake | Flato became early adopters of the 2030 Challenge and AIA 2030 Commitment.
Lake | Flato Houses focuses on homes built between 2014 to 2020, showcasing the diversity of locations and landscapes and shedding light on evolving client aspirations coupled with construction challenges and opportunities. Using local materials and partnering with the best regional craftsmen, Lake | Flato gives birth to buildings that are tactile and modern, environmentally responsible and authentic yet artfully crafted. This monograph, complete with architectural drawings, is divided into five sections which illuminate the firm’s approach to design: On Reading the Land, On Living, On Building, On Detailing, and On Celebrating our Resources.
A review in Architectural Digest notes, “One of our best allies in sustainability is low-carbon construction—an area in which Austin and San Antonio architects Lake | Flato have developed expertise over more than 30 years in the business. Through its work, which often taps into regional materials, the studio has proved that a home that is responsibly made can also be visually stunning. Fittingly, the longtime sustainability advocate Ed Mazria (author of the 2030 Challenge) penned the foreword to this book.”
Elk River Books is located at 122 S. 2nd St. in downtown Livingston. The free event begins at 7 p.m., and a book signing and reception will follow.
