inside look

8 stunning Houston homes showcase creativity and craftsmanship on AIA tour

The AIA Houston Home Tour is back! The annual tour raises funds that support various AIA Houston initiatives throughout the year. Held this Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, the self-guided tour features eight magnificent homes throughout the Houston area.

"The AIA Houston Home Tour is an incredible opportunity to showcase the diverse architectural talent within our city," says Shawn Gottschalk, AIA, principal at studioMET Architects and 2025 Home Tour event chair. "I'm really excited about this year's event because it features a remarkable range of homes: an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) tiny house, a sensitively-restored mid-century modern townhouse which served as a model home for the future, to an expansive campus-style home comprised of multiple structures and an array of homes in between. Each project is unique in its style, size, and design, offering something inspiring for every visitor."

Homes were selected based on design excellence, quality craftsmanship, innovative solutions, use of materials, and sustainability. A juried panel comprised of fellow architects, deans of architecture schools, and other experts choose from the hundreds of project submissions every year. To keep things honest, jury members are from out of town, but not too far out of town.

“We are not looking to put on an AIA home tour of only Texas vernacular architecture,” AIA executive director Rusty Bienvenue tells CultureMap. “We want a wide variety of things because this is a very diverse city, and I’m not sure folks from too far away understand what’s going on here.”

Project architects will be on-site both days of the tour to answer questions visitors may have about the homes, or the process of hiring and working with a local architect. One thing the tour hopes to do is dispel the notion that hiring an architect is something that costs a fortune, when in fact, it can be the more cost effective way to go.

“One of the things we are trying to show is that all people in the area are entitled to good design, no matter what their socioeconomic background is,” says Bienvenue. “Hiring an architect does not necessarily make the price go up when you’re building something. In many ways, it will make the price come down, because they’re able to negotiate with suppliers they use all the time and know what to spec or not. When you go into a builder home, those prices are set.”

This year’s event chair is no stranger to the AIA Houston tour. Gottschalk’s studioMET Architects has received an AIA residential design award, an AIA Firm of the Year award, and has had their projects selected for the AIA Houston Home Tour for 16 consecutive years, with two projects featured this year — Wink Residence, designed by Gottschalk himself, and River Bend, designed by Yoonchul You — and he looks forward to being able to share these projects with the greater Houston community.

“More than just an event for architects, the AIA Houston Home Tour celebrates the simple joy of great design,” Gottschalk tells CultureMap. “It’s casual, inspiring, and welcoming to anyone curious about how thoughtful architecture transforms everyday living.”

One home on the tour is quite the standout example of how good design can transform everyday living. Homes on the tour must have been built in the last five years, or have undergone a significant renovation or addition in the last five years. “Style in Steel” is a project with significant history, and the city is lucky that the home was able to be saved from the fate of so many other quirky Houston homes.

Built in 1968 as demonstration homes for the 1969 National Association for Home Builders (NAHB) show at the Houston Astrodome Astrohall, the "Style in Steel" townhouses were a collaborative effort sponsored by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), Houston Lighting & Power Company (HL&P), and General Electric (GE). Their purpose was to showcase the advantages of the use of steel in moderately-priced residential construction, utilizing steel not just in structural elements but also in furniture, equipment, and fittings. The townhouses were designed in the International Style, taking cues from Mies van der Rohe, by renowned architects Talbott Wilson and Hal Weatherford of Wilson, Morris, Crain, & Anderson, the same firm that co-designed the Houston Astrodome. Designated as protected landmarks in 2007 by the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission, their fate after over half a century became a pressing question.

The townhouses received a Twenty-Five-Year Award from the AIA Houston Chapter in 1998, and the home was awarded a Preservation Houston Good Brick Award in 2023. It has been featured in Architectural Record, Architectural Digest, Professional Builder, Brides magazine, and more recently in Preservation Magazine (Winter 2025) and Texas Architect (Spring 2025).

Full-Tour tickets may be purchased in advance ($35) until Friday, October 17 at 11:30 pm. Single home tour tickets are available for $10 per home, but are not available for presale. Tickets may also be purchased on-site.

"It’s one thing to pass by and admire these stunning homes from the outside, but an entirely heightened experience to step inside and be captivated by the remarkable thought and talent that went into each design,” says Bienvenue. “We look forward to seeing you on the tour.”

Each architect participating in the tour offered CultureMap personal insights into their respective projects, whether that be something special to keep an eye out for, or the thing they love most about the house. Find these insider insights below. Each link includes sneak peek photos and the home’s address.

The Tour

River Bend
“What I love most is how the design unfolds across the site in a long, single-story plan. From each space, the river is experienced and revealed in a new and surprising way.” - Reynold Scott Magnuson

Wink Residence
“The Hammam is one of my favorite elements of the home because it brings a touch of Moroccan heritage, turning a simple bath into a moment of ritual and tradition. Sharing a commitment to fitness and longevity with the homeowner, it’s rewarding to see the modern home we designed come alive through daily wellness routines — morning laps in the pool, cold plunges, and sauna sessions.” - Shawn Wesley Gottschalk

Style in Steel
“The trellised entry forecourt at the ‘Style in Steel’ Townhouse is the most featured and photographed space of the townhouse. Our goal in restoring the original architect’s intent for the townhouse included the removal of the added roof and glass window coverings to reveal the intended open trellised and light-infused forecourt space. A subtlety we appreciate is the visual engagement from inside the townhouse looking out to the forecourt through the two-story window wall, bringing the volume and light from the forecourt into the house.” – Rodolfo R. Fabre

Gibbs House
“Ironically, my favorite part of the home is the view from the exterior, looking north from the pool along the east-facing side of the house. I love how the long stretch of landscaping leads into the rich ebony wood exterior, connecting naturally with the porch and flowing into the living space. This side of the home is filled with natural light. Large windows brighten the interior, the stairwell glows through its vertical glass panels, and skylights above the bedrooms bring in soft, overhead light. As a corner home, we wanted to create a strong connection to the side yard that faces both streets, making the most of its unique position.” – Brett Zamore

Backyard Bungalow
“The thing I like most about the Backyard Bungalow is how good I feel when I am in the space. The quality of light, the cozy backyard setting, the playful forms all give me the feeling of comfort and possibility.” – Bradly Hirdes

Hunterwood Residence
“I am especially interested with how the design balances openness with intimate, personal spaces, such as the cozy spot tucked between the kitchen and family room. It’s a home designed to evolve with the family, offering flexibility in how each space is used while always feeling grounded, warm, and connected to its natural surroundings.” – Dillon Kyle

Northwood Residence
“The design of this home came from a desire for peace, and it was scheduled for construction during an incredibly uncertain time. Built entirely through remote collaboration at the height of the pandemic, it became a reflection of a strong sense of trust and shared purpose. What makes it truly special for the owners is the sense of calm that fills each room. Carried by the light, the materials and simplicity come together to create a quiet, restorative space for a young family.” – Chase Stanley

Hunters Creek House
“The design is intentionally minimalist, but the craft runs deep. I personally built many of the details, so every reveal and surface carries the mark of handwork and precision that you don’t always see at first glance. What makes this house special to me is how much of it I built myself. It’s minimalist in form, but every inch reflects hours of handwork, detail, and a love of craft that doesn’t shout…it whispers.” — Kam Biazar.

Photo by Leonid Furmansky

Style in Steel, designed by Rodolfo R. Fabre Design + FORMATION.

aia houston home tour home-design

they're durable, too

3D-printed Houston housing project cements a more affordable future

Courtesy of Cole Klein Builders

Homes in Zuri Gardens are a hybrid of 3D concrete and traditional wood construction.

Houston is putting itself front-and-center to help make sustainable, affordable housing a reality for 80 lucky homeowners in a scalable housing community that will hopefully catch on nationwide. Recently, developer Cole Klein Builders partnered with HiveASMBLD to pioneer what’s touted as the world’s first large-scale, one-of-a-kind, affordable housing development using 3-D printing technology, merging robotics, design, and sustainability.

Located across from Sterling Aviation High School, near Hobby Airport, Zuri Gardens will offer 80 two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes of approximately 1,360 square feet situated in a park-like setting, including walking trails and a community green space.

Homes in Zuri Gardens will hit the market in early summer of 2026. Final pricing has yet to be determined, but Cole Klein Builders expects it to be in the mid-to-high 200s.

Interestingly, none of the homes will offer garages or driveways, which the developer tells CultureMap will provide a savings of roughly $25,000 - $40,000 per home.

Instead of parking for individual units, 140 parking spaces will be provided. Ideally, this small-town-inspired design will provide opportunities for neighbors to meet, connect, and build community.

Each two-story home is comprised of a ground floor printed by HiveASMBLD, using a proprietary low-carbon cement alternative by Eco Material Technologies that promises to enhance strength and reduce CO2 emissions. The hybrid homes will have a second floor built using engineered wood building products by LP Building Solutions. Overall, the homes are designed to be flood, fire, and possibly even tornado-proof.

The Zuri in Zuri Gardens is the Swahili word for “beautiful,” a choice that is fitting considering that the parks department will be introducing a five acre park to the project — with 3-D printed pavilions and benches — plus, a three acre farm is located right across the street. The Garver Heights area, where Zuri Gardens is located, is in what’s classified as a food desert, which means that access to fresh food is limited. Residents will have access to the farm’s fresh produce, plus opportunities to participate in gardening and nutrition workshops—that’s a win for everyone.

With the novelty of Zuri Gardens, it’s no surprise that the neighborhood already has an 800 person waitlist, but with stringent buyer requirements, it’s unclear how many of those 800 will qualify. Developer Cole Klein Builders created Zuri Gardens in partnership with the Houston Housing Community Development Department, who provided infrastructure reimbursements for the roads, sewer lines, and water lines. In return, CKB agreed to push the purchase prices for the homes as low as possible.

Zuri Gardens also received $1.8 million dollars from the Uptown Tourism Bond, 34 percent of which must be used with minority owned small businesses. Qualified buyers must fit a certain area of median income according to HUD guidelines, and must be owner occupied at all times — so no property investors or short term vacation rentals will be allowed.

“They’re trying to bridge that gap to make sure there is a community for the homebuyers who need it — educators, law enforcement, civil workers, etc.,” Cole Klein Builders’ co-principal Vanessa Cole tells CultureMap. “You have to go through a certification process with the housing department to make sure that your income is in alignment for this community. It has been great, and everyone has been really receptive.”

Cole has also brought insurance underwriters to visit the site and to help drive premiums below regular rates for Houston homeowners since homes in Zuri Gardens are not built to traditional standards — claim risks for one of the 3-D homes are extremely low. Tim Lankau, principal at HiveASMBLD, notes that the 3-D hybrid design allows for a more traditional appearance, while having the benefits of a concrete structure: “That’s where the floodwaters would go, that’s where you can hide when there’s a tornado, and that’s where termites would eat. So you get the advantages of it while having a traditionally-framed second floor.”

It’s important to note that Zuri Gardens is not located in a flood prone area, nor did it flood during Hurricane Harvey — being flood proof is merely a perk of a cement house. The concrete that Eco Material Technologies developed is impervious. The walls are printed into hollow forms, which house rebar, plumbing, and accessible conduits for things like electrical lines and smart house features. Those walls are then filled with a foamcrete product that expands to form a “monolithic concrete wall.”

David McNitt, of Eco Material Technologies, explains that his proprietary concrete is made of PCV, and contains zero Portland cement. Instead, McNitt’s cement is made from coal ash and is 99 percent green (there are a few chemicals added to the ash). Regardless, it’s made from 100 percent waste products.

“This is a product that has really been landfilled before,” says McNitt. “It’s coal ash, and it’ll set within 8-10 minutes. It’s all monolithic, and one continuous pour — it’s literally all one piece.”

Eco Material Technologies’ concrete product is impressively durable. A traditional cinderblock wall will crush at around 800 psi, while this material crushes at about 8,000 psi.

“It’s ten times stronger than a cinderblock wall that can withstand hurricanes,” claims McNitt. “I don’t think you’d even notice a hurricane. It’ll be really quiet inside, too — so you won’t get interrupted during your hurricane party. It’s way over-engineered, it really is.”

The second story is built using weatherproof and eco-friendly products by LP Building Solutions. Their treated, engineered wood products come with a 50 year warranty, and their radiant barrier roof decking product blocks 97% of UV rays, and keeps attic temperatures 30° cooler than traditional building materials. These materials, combined with the concrete first floor, will keep heating and cooling costs low — something the folks at HiveASMBLD refer to as “thermal mass performance.”

Courtesy of Cole Klein Builders

Homes in Zuri Gardens are a hybrid of 3D concrete and traditional wood construction.