Choreographing a House

Anyone who has ever driven into Huntsville, Texas, from the west on US Highway 190 has glimpsed the now-famous "Cowboy Boot House": a fully functional 700-square-foot, two-bedroom home that features a spiral staircase up to the top of the "boot," offering a panoramic view of the community. It's hard to forget, as is its builder, Dan Phillips.

Competitive bull rider, military intelligence specialist, college dance professor, and visionary designer and builder of what he called "recycled houses," Phillips passed away in 2021 at the age of 76. He left behind a host of friends, admirers, and acolytes for his unique approach to low-cost, environmentally friendly home construction, featuring upcycled materials that might include animal bones, discarded license plates, or even bottlecaps. Acquiring a worldwide reputation, Phillips provided keynote lectures at architectural industry gatherings in Hungary and Italy. His TED Talk, "Creative Houses from Reclaimed Stuff," has garnered more than 240,000 views.

Choreographing a House: Dan Phillips, Apostle for Sustainable Housing, compiled and edited by Robert M. Maninger and Frank K. Fair, provides readers with a rich view of Phillips's life and work. Filled with color photographs of whimsical-yet practical-creations, the book also records his coordination with other artists to create the colorful Smither Park in Houston, with its quirky collection of mosaic sculptures. This book will both delight and inform readers, especially those interested in a more sustainable and creatively built environment.