Architecture
Casa La Iguera. Brownsville. A Great Example of Modern Restoration
The house Roman McAllen restored for himself and his wife Lisa, an occupational therapist, is a tiny, gable-roofed cottage. It is at least the second house to occupy the lot and was used as a rent house. McAllen’s skill as a carpenter and builder (in addition to his design skill) is evident in his imaginative efforts to create perceptions of spatial generosity in a confined interior and to make practical interventions that economize on the use of space. He took special advantage of Brownsville’s ship “breaking” industry (scrapping ocean-going vessels and recycling their contents) to repurpose a cafeteria rail, metal cabinets, a workbench, lamps, and aluminum and teak components. The grounds of both houses have been cultivated with native, drought tolerant vegetation that has rapidly greened the formerly barren yard. The guesthouse (available on AirBNB) is a 1962 Airstream trailer that is a marvel of spatial compression.
Casa La Higuera displays the virtues of a sustainable approach to design: recognizing the resilience of and reusing existing buildings, even when they are small and humble; recycling materials; planting climate appropriate vegetation to enhance the livability of outdoor spaces; and investing personal design and construction skill to compensate with imagination for what clients might lack in material resources. Text by Stephen Fox – Photos by RGVMod.