In early 2022, philanthropists and art collectors Mickey and Jeanne Klein approached Lake Flato with a clear ambition: to make great art accessible to all. The program was straightforward – a public-facing gallery paired with a modest workspace – but the aspiration was larger: to establish a place where art could be encountered freely and woven into the daily life of a small Hill Country town. Marble Falls, long a weekend destination for Central Texans, also offered a natural setting for this vision, particularly as it had become home to Mickey’s two longtime staff members.
With a bit of luck and the gracious support of neighboring property owners, the design team identified a compact infill lot in the heart of downtown Marble Falls as the site of Arthouse. Conceived as both a cultural anchor and a civic gesture, the building places public engagement at the forefront. The ground floor functions as an open arts center with rotating exhibitions drawn from the Kleins’ collection and curated by the couple themselves, while a discreet second level provides workspace and administrative support.
Throughout the design process, careful attention was given to the scale and rhythm of historic Main Street façades, to ensure that the new structure would contribute to the continuity of the streetscape rather than compete with it. Elegant material choices and a restrained formal language establish the building as a quiet backdrop to the artwork on display, allowing the collection and its changing exhibitions to remain the primary focus. A contemplative courtyard, designed by fourth-generation Japanese gardener Sada Uchiyama, extends this sensibility outdoors, offering a space for pause and reflection within Marble Falls’ urban fabric.
Together, these elements position Arthouse as a new cultural centerpiece for Marble Falls – an intimate yet public venue where art, architecture, and community converge in a setting that is both locally grounded and broadly welcoming.
Team:
Architects: Lake Flato Architects
Design Architect: Lake Flato
Architect of Record: Lake Flato
Interior Design: Lake Flato
Builder: Square Foot Solutions
Landscape designer: Sadafumi (Sada) Uchiyama
Lighting designer: Studio Lumina
Structural engineer: M. Scott Williamson, PE
MEP engineer: Consulting Engineering Services
Photographer: Andrea Calo
Materials Used:
Facade cladding: 7/8" Galvalume, Corrugated Metal Panel by Fabral; Corrugated
Galvalume Hefti-Rib by Fabral
Flooring: Select Grade Engineered White Oak Flooring by Wood Co.
Doors: Oldcastle Building Envelope Series 3000
Windows: Oldcastle Building Envelope Series 3000
Interior lighting: BK Lighting, LEDI Lighting, WAC
