Open & Airy Dogtrot Homes

While modular homes appear to have little in common with traditional Southern vernacular architecture, Lake Flato found a way not only to marry the two concepts but also to celebrate the outdoors in the process.

The dogtrot has movable louvered doors that can be closed to block high winds or opened to connect to the central courtyard.

The Porch House shown here, built on a ranch in the Texas Hill Country, is composed of three separate, singlewide, nonstacked room units and multiple outdoor spaces, including a variety of porches for a total of 3,000 square feet of living space. The compound includes a master bedroom and living area connected by a dogtrot-type breezeway, a guest bedroom unit with a front porch, and a separate carport, all arranged to create a cozy courtyard space in the middle and to optimize the views of the surrounding landscape, such as valley and hills.

If there was ever a house that invited kicking back, taking in the scenery, and staying awhile, it's a Porch House. Site-built outdoor spaces are configured to maximize the living area and the stellar views of the surrounding landscape.

In the guest bedrooms, tall windows maximize light, views, and ventilation. It's housed in its' own unit with a porch, two bedrooms, and a bath.

In the main living unit, natural materials mingle well with modern elements to create an open sitting and dining area.

The outdoor spaces are the true workhorses of these homes. They create shade, encourage cross-ventilation, and expand the living space without expanding the conditioned space. The exterior of the homes combine corrugated, galvanized metal with Eastern red cedar for a modern look that's also durable.