The Architect’s Studio is both an experiment and a headquarters—a compact studio built by the Derrington Building Studio team as a working prototype for healthy, low-maintenance construction. Located on a modest corner lot in a working-class Austin neighborhood, the studio balances economy, practicality, and design ambition.

The form echoes the scale and spirit of the surrounding mid-century houses, while the detailing explores something less familiar: a building without cavity walls. Driven by a desire to reduce hidden moisture, pests, and maintenance issues, the framing is left exposed inside, transforming conventional stick-built construction into a finished architectural expression. Inspired by traditional Japanese joinery and Nordic framing culture, the exposed structure offers both clarity and warmth.

To make that possible, insulation is moved entirely to the outside of the building envelope. Every nail, joint, wire, and pipe had to be thoughtfully reconsidered—nothing could hide. The result is a calm, durable space built entirely in-house, with no unnecessary finishes and no unexamined details.

Wrapped in galvalume siding chosen for its reflectivity, longevity, and quiet agricultural character, the building performs in the Texas sun while sitting comfortably in its understated context. Today it’s an architect’s office. Tomorrow, it could be a home. That flexibility was part of the brief—and part of the joy in making it real.

All professional images by Leonid Furmansky. Design imagery and construction photos by the Derrington Building Studio team unless noted otherwise.