National Closeup Alert: Dwell Spotlights Austin Architects

If you're going to be featured in a home-design magazine these days, you couldn't ask for a better kingmaker than Dwell, the nine year-old national monthly known for showcasing "dream homes for real people." Making a commotion early on among conservative swans like Architectural Digest and House Beautiful

with a three-part series called "There Is Too a There There", Dwell seeks out not simply outsider, accidental design in the provinces (still the prevailing attitude about that expanse of dirt between the coasts), but recognizes that inspired, sophisticated design can be found in places other than New York, L.A. and San Francisco. Celebrating houses in Burleson, Texas; Calgary, Alberta; and Birmingham, Michigan, the features earned the magazine enduring credibility. Staying true to the cause, that spirit still persists with three Austin architects sprinkled throughout the October 2009 Dwell, on stands now.

Dick Clark Architecture's Jeff Krolicki enjoys massive approval as the "Done Right" example in this month's "Modern Real Estate 101", an ongoing primer for those venturing into the constantly changing fray of the modern home market. Krolicki's 04 Lofts on South Congress are called "infill at its best", both for cultivating a sense of community in mixed-use urban areas with pedestrian-friendly spaces, and for a commitment to green design.

Meanwhile, over at Studio 512, Austin native Nicole Blair is having a good month. Her five year-old firm is enjoying the spotlight attracted by her celebrated Chicon duplex in the East Austin neighborhood of Blackshear. Inspired to design a home not only at harmony with the surrounding neighborhood, but reflective of the growing arts presence in the area, Blair did that, and more. Construction costs of the two two-bedroom units were kept in check by using unconventional materials, and the interior is finished out with mar-resistant, long-wearing surfaces to keep future remodeling to a minimum.

The Wolfe Den house by MJ Neal Design, already famous for its cool lines and elegant, light-filled floorplan, was featured earlier this year in Dwell's monthly feature, "Dwellings". Apparently the house's appeal is still infectious: Wolfe Den is back this month as one of the magazine's "Houses We Love".