Projects by Larry Speck and Kevin Alter Win at 2025 AIA Austin Design Awards
Last week, two of our faculty members received awards from the 2025 AIA Austin Design Awards: Larry Speck, Design Director and Principal at Page Southerland Page, was honored for the Museum of the Big Bend, and Kevin Alter, Partner of Alterstudio, for the Pecan Grove Residence and the Falcon Grove Residence.
The Museum of the Big Bend was established in 1920 on the campus of Sul Ross State University in Alpine, TX, known for exhibitions that celebrate the important cultural confluence of art and landscape alongside rare archival collections. Prompted to expand upon the original historic 1937 structure, Professor Larry Speck led the design of a new 10,000 square foot addition, adding event, exhibition, and administrative spaces to the institution. The addition doubles the size of the museum, citing textures of the rich West Texas landscape while framing views of the Chisos Mountains as it houses a newly acquired collection of paintings by artist Tom Lee. The jury awarded Page Southerland Page the Design Award of Merit, noting the “sense of discovery” that the addition inspired that offers surprises around every corner—including a utilization of the original stone facade of the 1937 building as an interior feature of the welcome center.
Alterstudio’s Pecan Grove Residence and Falcon Grove Residence are examples of what Professor Kevin Alter’s firm does best: airy residential architecture that celebrates the unique environmental qualities of the site. Winning the Design Award of Merit, the Pecan Grove Residence is grounded in its nestled position within mature trees that are celebrated by views from a sunken living room. Artisanal brickwork, stucco, and warm wood interiors create a cohesive experience of lightness inside and out, complementing the relaxed feel of the neighborhood.
The Falcon Ledge Residence is unique for its clever approach to an incredibly steep site—a challenge that Alterstudio embraced as an opportunity for a unique vertical design. Defying expectations on a plot that was long overlooked as a possible home site, the building is a tall, elegant structure that overlooks the surrounding greenery in a compact volume. Earning the Design Award of Excellence, the three-story house is an experience of immersive refuge in the wilderness with warm wood tones that frame stunning views of the landscape.
