One of the nation’s most popular home tours turns 40 this month, with a rammed earth first in East Austin, four debut firms, and nine homes you can actually walk through.
Austin is a city full of houses you slow down to stare at. For one weekend each fall, the AIA Austin Homes Tour lets you stop staring from the curb and walk right in. The 40th annual tour runs Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25, from 10am to 6pm, offering a self-guided look at nine new and newly renovated homes designed by some of the city’s leading architects.
The tour draws around 5,000 design enthusiasts every year, with some traveling from as far as Australia. Here’s what makes the anniversary edition worth marking on your calendar.
A First for East Austin
The headliner for Eastsiders is Terraluz, designed by Davey McEathron Architecture in the Holly neighborhood (78702). It’s the first featured tour home ever built with rammed earth, an ancient technique of compacting layers of soil into thick, sculptural walls that’s earning new attention for its natural thermal performance and striking texture. If you’ve been curious how a centuries-old building method fits into a modern Austin home, this is your chance to see it up close.
Fresh Faces and Architects at Home
This year’s lineup leans new. Four firms are participating for the first time: Davey McEathron Architecture, Workshop No. 5, Agenda Architecture, and DK Studio. Four homes come from women-led firms, and two of those, DK Studio and Workshop No. 5, are opening the doors to their own homes, giving visitors a rare look at how architects design for themselves.
“What makes this tour special isn’t just the architecture, it’s getting to walk through spaces where real Austin families live every day,” said AIA Austin executive director Ingrid Spencer. “We’re proud of showing that good design belongs in everyone’s home for 40 years.”
The 2026 Homes
- Terraluz – Davey McEathron Architecture, Holly
- Canopy Residence – Workshop No. 5, Allandale
- Horseshoe Bend Cove – DK Studio, Barton Hills
- House Courtyard House – Agenda Architecture, Zilker
- South 3rd – Murray Legge Architecture, Bouldin Creek
- Rutherford Place – Restructure Studio, Travis Heights
- Half Street House – Nolan Bell Design Studio, Rosedale
- North Hills Residence – Webber + Studio, Northwest Hills
- Fitzhugh House – Pollen Architecture & Design, Fitzhugh Ranch
Meet the Architects Before You Go
Ticket holders can join two free, hour-long online sessions with the architects, each offering 1 LU/HSW credit for design professionals:
- Wednesday, Oct. 7, noon-1pm: Family Life Indoors and Out with Agenda Architecture, Nolan Bell Design Studio, and Webber + Studio
- Wednesday, Oct. 14, noon-1pm: Materiality Studies with Davey McEathron Architecture, Murray Legge Architecture, and Restructure Studio
Register when you buy your ticket.
Tickets
General admission covers both days and costs $50 in advance or $60 on tour days. A limited number of $125 VIP tickets add entry to the pre-tour VIP party and a swag bag. Tickets are available on Eventbrite, and more details are at aiaaustin.org.
Know Before You Go
These are real, lived-in homes, so a few house rules apply: you’ll remove your shoes at the door (wear socks), and photos, food, drinks, strollers, and pets aren’t allowed inside. There are no public restrooms on the route, so plan your pit stops. The tour goes on rain or shine, and while tickets aren’t refundable, they are transferable if your plans change.
Photos courtesy of AIA Austin / Rob Gomez.
