Big Three Industries Building

Karl Kamrath’s Big Three Industries building holds a unique place in Houston building history. With its extreme boldness and its superb execution in brush-hammered concrete, it hovers mysteriously over its western industrial neighborhood. Enter an equally bold new owner couple, who engaged Murphy Mears Architects to remake it into a business office. The top floor would be made into their home.  Stillwater Homes was the builder, with Mary Lambrakos of Lambrakos Studio serving as interior designer. The architect had skylights cut in the coffered ceiling, and our task was to make them look like they’d always been there. As I expressed it to the owner, ”the building has great authority, we just have to listen to its instructions.” We also did the East and West terraces in a micro-topping over the old pea-gravel surface. The result of all our collaborative work is a stunning new dwelling in the sky. It is unique and subtle, intimate and dramatic.