How does an architectural photographer see a space when they step through the front door?
Ahead of the AIA Austin Homes Tour on 24–25 October, I sat down with photographer Rob Gomez, who captured all nine residences on this year's tour. A house stays on its site, but thoughtful photography gives its story and light a way to travel.
In this special episode of TALKdesign, Rob and I look past surface styling to explore how site orientation, materials, and daylight shape how a home actually feels. We discuss catching 6:00 am light across handcrafted brickwork, designing for tight urban laneways, and working with steep cliffside drops.
Whether you are planning a new build, working on a renovation, or just curious about what makes great architecture work, this conversation offers a fresh way to look at each home on the tour.
CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS:
02:06 Workshop No. 5 – Multi-Generational Living & Natural Light (Bonnie's House)
11:09 Pollen Architecture – Fits You House & Studio (Laura Roberts)
21:19 Nolan Bell Design – Half Street House & Subtle Elegance
27:40 DK Studio – Horseshoe Bend Cove & The Hidden Library
43:43 Agenda Architecture – Courtyard House & Tactile Brickwork
56:38 Webber + Studio – North Hills Residence & Spatial Illusions
1:04:02 Restructure Studio – Rutherford Place & Triplex Transformation
1:12:30 Murray Legge Architecture – South 3rd Street & Vertical Laneway Living
1:24:02 Davey McEathron Architecture – Terra Lose & Rammed Earth Playfulness
1:38:57 Through the Photographer's Lens: Capturing Emotion in Architecture & Wrap-Up
KEY IDEAS IN THIS EPISODE:
• Designing for real life: Why capturing lived-in moments—kids making jell-o, dogs on sofas, morning coffee routines—connects architecture to human behaviour.
• Daylight in motion: How highlight windows, skylights, and light wells turn simple hallways into uplifting spaces.
• Scale and volume: How to respect the streetscape on the outside while opening up generous, double-height spaces inside.
• Materials and seasonal light: How raw timber, rammed earth, cork, and brick absorb and reflect daylight through the year.
• Adaptive reuse: Giving older multi-unit structures new life as warm, functional family homes.
What feeling do you want your home to create? Tell us in the comments below!
#TALKdesign #AIAAustinHomesTour2026 #ArchitecturalPhotography #AdrianRamsay #HomeDesign #ArchitecturePodcast #CustomHomes #DesignThinking #ResidentialArchitecture #AustinArchitecture
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