Cranfill Apartments
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Dr. Thomas Cranfill (1913-1995), English professor at the University of Texas, commissioned this three-unit apartment building as a residence and studio for his partner, photographer and author Hans Beacham (1925-2004). Completed in 1960, Harwell Hamilton Harris (1903-1990), Director of the University’s School of Architecture from 1951-55, designed the apartments in his distinctive regional modern style. Harris combined an open interior layout with board-and-batten redwood siding and exposed concrete block, emphasizing natural light, honesty of the materials and the connection between building and landscape. Harris also designed the nearby Cranfill House, built in 1955.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Completed in 1960, this three-unit building was commissioned by University of Texas English professor Thomas Cranfill as a home and studio for his partner, photographer and author Hans Beacham. It was designed by Harwell Hamilton Harris, a leading figure in American regional modernism who had directed UT's School of Architecture in the early 1950s. Its board-and-batten redwood siding, exposed concrete block, and light-filled open plan reflect Harris's belief in honest materials and a close bond between a building and its landscape.
Why it matters
It is a rare intact example of mid-century regional modernism by a nationally significant architect, and a quiet record of a same-sex partnership that shaped Austin's cultural life.
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Related people
- · Thomas Cranfill
- · Hans Beacham
- · Harwell Hamilton Harris
Themes & tags
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