Rustic and modern are combined in this design for a retreat home outside Breckenridge, Texas, in the heart of the Cross Timbers ecoregion. As this was once a working ranch, the owners wanted to preserve the site’s heritage, yet blend it with a contemporary and refined approach. MESA was engaged by the owners and architects to create a holistic, modern ranch grounded in the site’s agrarian past while providing a vital component of educational outreach. A portion of the ranch is provided for local universities to visit and understand the effects of applied techniques in ecological restoration of this unique region.