In Texas Andersson Wise designs a house-shed assembled by a floating joineryDiving into the water directly from the living room?You can, if you are lucky enough to own a house like this, with your feet soaking in the lake, as light as an insect that barely skims the surface before taking off.This is Lake House, a stilt house nestled in the rocky bottom of Lake Austin, Texas, born from the inspiration of the local studio Andersson Wise.At first glance one might think that it is just a garage, given that the lower level is designed specifically to moor a boat, but the beauty comes above: a convivial space nestles here, complete with a grill and living area, in which to refresh yourself afterwards. a cool bath or be enchanted to look at the view.The nature all around is a majestic spectacle reserved for a few.In fact, to get to the house you have to take a path almost half a mile long, which climbs up a wooded hill and then passes through a wooden and steel walkway, suspended over a sixty-meter overhang.At the end of the walk, the mirage of the lake opens up, in which the house is a discreet guest, designed to minimize the environmental impact.A single steel frame was assembled in Houston and then transported to the site by barge.This prefabricated skeleton was then hooked to sturdy pylons sunk into the water.The ipe wood walls, floors, ceiling and fixtures were added directly on site, with the help of a “floating joinery” which allowed the interventions to be managed in a flexible and eco-friendly way.The idea of ​​not interfering too much with the landscape is also reflected in the design: minimal and sparse, the house is a floating box that does not disturb the horizon.Part of it is covered in dark wood, while the steel elements are painted with a protective zinc, whose delicate pewter color mimics the shades of water and sky.Three sides of the structure are equipped with full-height convertible awnings that open to allow a quick dip, but also good air circulation, ideal on hot days that are the norm in these parts.The closed south wall contains a storage cupboard and a niche framing a Swedish kerosene lantern, the kind you'd expect to see aboard a boat during slow night cruising.After all, Lake House has a liquid soul, a bit of a dock, a bit of a refuge, and when that light shines in the dark, in the quiet that becomes absolute, it is the only glow other than that of the stars.