Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
5 min of reading 
0 comments 
Long-time friendship, compact houses, and shared life in nature form the foundation of a project in the Texas Hill Country that brings together housing, community, and practical solutions on the same property.
Four couples transformed a long-time friendship into a shared housing project in the Texas Hill Country, United States.
Instead of a single house for everyone, the group decided to build four compact cabins in a rural area near the Llano River.
The complex became known as Bestie Row and was designed to combine community, privacy, and contact with nature.
-
This small town in Germany created its own currency 24 years ago, today it circulates millions per year, is accepted in over 300 stores, and the German government allowed all of this to happen under one condition.
-
Curitiba is shrinking and is expected to lose 97,000 residents by 2050, while inland cities in Paraná such as Sarandi, Araucária, and Toledo are experiencing accelerated growth that is changing the entire state’s map.
-
Tourists were poisoned on Everest in a million-dollar fraud scheme involving helicopters that diverted over $19 million and shocked international authorities.
-
Hidden beneath the dense forest of the Sierra Nevada, Betoma emerges in a neighbor of Brazil as the greatest archaeological discovery of the century, revealing a colossal ancestral city covering over 18 km², with 8,334 stone structures and the potential to rewrite the history of South American civilizations.
The proposal includes individual units for each couple and a common structure for meals, gatherings, and hosting visitors.
The space was conceived as a retreat for periods of joint stay, with buildings distributed on a lot oriented towards the local landscape.
Reports published about the project indicate that the area is about 10 acres, equivalent to just over 4 hectares, in the Hill Country region of Texas.
The location is west of the town of Llano and about an hour and a half from Austin.
The choice of land took into account the natural environment and the possibility of collective use of the space over time.
Shared housing in Texas
The idea arose from the intention to maintain proximity among the couples without eliminating each person’s autonomy.
Profiles published by the American press show that the group preferred to separate private spaces and concentrate collective activities in a common-use building.
In some reports, the project is also associated with the name “Llano Exit Strategy”, a phrase used to describe the plan to keep friends close as they age.
The arrangement combines frequent community with daily independence, as each couple occupies their own unit.
This format also approaches the concept of tiny houses, smaller homes that have gained traction in the United States in proposals related to reducing built area and simplifying maintenance.
In the case of Bestie Row, however, the solution was adapted to a shared living experience among friends.
Compact cabins and common area
The four private units are about 350 square feet, equivalent to approximately 32.5 square meters.
The project was designed by architect Matt Garcia, who had previously worked with Fred and Jodi Zipp, one of the couples involved in the initiative.
The cabins were designed to accommodate frequent stays, with compact environments and efficient use of space.
The proposal aimed to ensure basic comfort without overly expanding the built area, preserving the logic of simplicity that guided the complex.
On the exterior, the houses received metal cladding, referencing common rural structures in Texas.
Internally, the wood finish aimed to create a warmer environment.
In an interview reproduced by the site The Spaces, Garcia stated that the intention was to balance the more industrial appearance of the exterior with a warmer feeling interior.
The placement of the units also considered the view of the Llano River.
The buildings were positioned to take advantage of the landscape and maintain integration with the land.
In one of the reports about the site, Jodi Zipp described the frequent presence of wildlife in the area, mentioning rabbits, deer, and birds around the property.
Sustainability and water capture
Environmental concern appears as one of the project’s focal points.
According to Fred Zipp, who reported to Garden & Gun magazine, the group wanted a retreat compatible with the climatic conditions of the region, marked by periods of drought and high temperatures.
Therefore, some structural decisions were made from the outset.
One of the main features is the butterfly-shaped roofs, designed to capture rainwater and direct it to cisterns used for irrigation of the land.
This measure reduces water consumption in an area where this resource often requires planning.
Additionally, the cabins received high-density foam insulation to help with thermal control.
The goal was to reduce temperature fluctuations inside the houses throughout the year, given Texas’s climatic variations.
In an interview with People magazine, Matt Garcia stated that residential projects need to practically consider issues related to water and energy.
Community and guest space
In addition to the private units, the complex includes a common building of approximately 1,500 square feet, equivalent to about 139 square meters.
This space was designed to concentrate collective activities and enhance interaction among residents and their guests.
Reports about the project describe a larger kitchen, dining area, and a porch intended for social use.
There is also a dormitory with bunk beds for visitors, allowing family and friends to stay without compromising the cabins occupied by the owners.
The separation between private houses and community area serves as one of the project’s foundations.
This way, residents maintain their own spaces for rest and individual routines, while group interactions are concentrated in a specific environment.
Cost of houses and vacation rental
The site The Spaces reported that each unit cost around $40,000.
Other subsequent publications mentioned different values for the total investment of the venture, with no uniformity among sources.
For this reason, the most consistent data found refers to the approximate cost of each cabin, rather than the overall value of the project.
During periods when the owners are not on-site, the complex has also been offered for vacation rental.
A report from Business Insider recorded a $1,050 per night rate for the full rental of the property, including the cabins and common area.
Aging among friends and new ways of living
The impact of Bestie Row was boosted by the combination of lasting friendship, small houses, and collective housing organization.
The project has been cited in international reports as an example of a model where privacy and community are distributed in different spaces within the same property.
For this reason, the case has been associated with discussions about housing alternatives for aging.
Instead of concentrating all routines in a single residence, the couples adopted a configuration that preserves domestic independence while facilitating frequent gatherings.
At the center of the proposal is the attempt to organize life around already established bonds.
Seja o primeiro a reagir!