Austin's architectural gems spotlighted

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Looking to fix up your home? Or maybe you're in the market to build.

Either way, this weekend the American Institute of Architects here in Austin will open up more than a dozen homes for the public to check out.

"The thing that's really different is we never set out to make it look like the rest of the neighborhood," said David Webber, architect and home owner.

In Hyde Park, there is one home that stands out from the rest on the street. Architect David Webber spent a year designing it as his personal home.

"This is one of the nicest features of the home are the stairs," said Webber. "We really wanted people to come in and have that view straight through."

At 2,800 square feet, Webber kept the original 1940s pier-and-beam foundation from the home that once sat here for the new home's footprint. And the one thing highlighted through out this ultra modern home is the natural light that comes in.

"It's one of the most pleasant places to wake up and to exist because of all of that," said Webber.

It's one of 14 homes the public can check out this weekend as part of the Institute of Architects home tour.

"It's a fabulous place to get ideas for things to do, even if you're not ready to design a new home," said Sally Fly, executive director of AIA Austin.

"This home started out in downtown next to the capitol grounds," said architect Tim Cuppett.

And it's not just modern homes. A historic home in Hyde Park, which has the original construction and pine walls, is also showcased. The architectural feature is in the redesign of space.

"The house is so small it has no storage so every square inch has to have a function," said Cuppett. "We reconfigured a new kitchen, bathroom, back room, just made the house work better for us but were careful to leave the outside the way it was."

The self-guided tour takes place on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cost $25 in advance or $30 the day of.