I distinctly remember the first time I set foot in an AD Stenger home - it was years before I became and realtor and I don’t even think I knew the term Mid-Century Modern yet.
It belonged to a friend in the Zilker area on Airole way and I was smitten at first step. There was something about the vibe, the wood and the stone, it had soul and I wanted to know more. My friend was renting from a family member who lived 2 doors down in another Stenger and they knew the history, well at least the knew the architect, and I never forgot it. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time in that house a few years later when I worked for my friend’s business out of the home, and became so familiar with the style, the windows, the kitchen cabinets, the way the homes on that street were kind of built into the hillside, it was rustic and yet refined at the same time.
Fast forward to my life as a Realtor, I became obsessed with Mid-Century Modern architecture and specifically a focused obsession on our little local MCM architect legend AD Stenger and his homes. I’ve had the opportunity to sell a few and it’s always such a passionate and a dream experience.
So who is AD Stenger anyway? Arthur Dallas Stenger was the son of an architect and although he attended and didn’t actually graduate from the UT School of Architecture, he did get an architecture license and began building houses in post war Austin. Always innovative and ambitious and multi-talented, he was also a builder and hand built each of his homes one at a time. He worked in areas which at the time were outside the city limit and therefore had less restrictions, bought lots and built homes without requiring a contract from the future owner. His goal was to make affordable homes for people coming home from the war and often helped with financing. He didn’t add central air but instead utilized site placement, window orientation and an open plan to invite cross breezes to make the houses cool. Another innovated and eco friendly feature was using the stone quarried from the homesite on the home itself, leading to his signature stonework on the outside and inside, his homes are well known for the large stone fireplaces, a feature people adore.
One of my favorite designs aspects of a good MCM home, especially a Stenger are the clerestory windows and pitched roofline, it’s just so cool and stands out from other home built in the same era.
Stenger only built around 100 homes, mostly in the Zilker, Barton Hills & Rollingwood area and it’s a sad fact that there are definitely way less than 100 left. Because of the lack of central are and his noticeably small kitchens, its not surprising that any original Stenger has been updated to meet the needs of the modern buyer. I’m always delighted beyond belief when the updates have been more of a “restoration” and are in line with the aesthetic, spirit and style of the original Mid-Century Modern beauty. There are some Stengers that have been so modified that sometimes the only distinguishing feature left is the exterior stone or the clerestory windows.
It’s always my goal when I list a Stenger home to do my best to find a buyer that loves the style and wants to preserve it, and so far I’ve been lucky enough to to do that.
If you have a passion for MCM homes and want to know more - I’m more than happy to talk about them and Stengers in particular, all day long.
