See award-winning architect Max Levy’s respect for the trees in this Greenway Parks home he designed

Award-winning Dallas architect Max Levy designed this Greenway Parks home with nature in mind. The challenge of the 2017 build, he said, was to craft a design that left plenty of space for the five oak trees already on the property.

“Respecting these trees also meant orchestrating the floorplan so that the views out of the house would enjoy each tree,” Levy said via email.

The home at 5543 Drane Drive in Dallas is 6,577 square feet with five bedrooms, seven bathrooms and one half-bathroom. The modern design plays off of the natural elements on the property, with large windows that have views of the trees and surrounding green space. Levy focused on natural materials inside the home, as well, with white oak floors and honed limestone throughout. One of the home’s most unique elements is a rooftop screen porch that sits in the canopy of the oak trees. The space is only accessible by an exterior staircase, and Levy said it has a “meditative” feel—there is an outdoor fireplace and custom-designed, built-in candle holders.

A meditative oasis is a theme throughout the design, and Levy — called “the poet laureate of Dallas architecture” by critic Mark Lamster — included a series of fountains around the property to drown out the noise of the city.

The home’s main living area includes the kitchen, dining room and living area, all set in the same light-filled space. The room feels spacious and natural, with windows along two of the sides, and white oak along the ceiling, kitchen cabinets, and the floor. The dining space features a 16-foot window seat beside the dining table, bathed in sunlight.

The primary suite and a guest suite sit on the first floor of the home, and the three remaining bedrooms sit on the second level. A window seat is built into the hallway on the second level, in the children’s area and sliding oak doors can close off the bench—which Levy said has the feel of a train’s Pullman compartment and is a popular spot for sleepovers. The playroom on the second level offers a close-up view of the tree canopies through large windows.

Wendy Konradi designed the interior of the home, and landscape architect David Hocker brought in natural Texas plants to fill in the exterior design. The home was built by Stephen Hardy.

The home also has a pool, gardens and terraces outside. There are 10 geothermal wells on the property that help with heating and cooling, which ultimately lower the cost of utility bills. That’s no small feat for nearly 7,000 square feet.

The home is listed for $5,995,000 by Douglas Newby of Douglas Newby & Associates.

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