About
Our mission
To inspire and empower people to live in harmony with nature, help restore biodiversity, become more independent, and create unforgettable experiences at home.
Our vision
We imagine and build the home of the future. It is a healthy and resilient home, shared by humans and wildlife, where we can live a meaningful life rich in nature, beauty, taste, and authentic culture.
Our story
We are a multicultural family living in the Texas Hill Country. Tom is an engineer, originally from Germany. Aurélie is a designer, originally French-Indonesian. After years in big cities and fast-paced jobs in academia, business, and tech, we decided to transform our lives in order to live in harmony with nature, become more independent, and help restore biodiversity.
We changed how we eat. We bought a house in San Antonio that we renovated ourselves in a modern European style with a contemplative nature garden and water feature that we share with suburban wildlife. We purchased 21 acres of rural undeveloped land near Bandera where we are working to restore a native ecosystem and create a sanctuary for wild birds and pollinators, and where we plan to live and host retreats/workshops.
This transformation is the biggest adventure of our lives. We have learned many valuable lessons on this empowering and fulfilling journey. We share our insights, designs, and methodologies in Fivemile Hill courses to help others change their lives for the better.
Who we are
I am a designer. I create new ways of living in harmony with nature in order to help restore biodiversity.
I am an engineer. I use technology to help nature and create healthy and resilient living spaces shared by humans and wildlife.
Why the name Fivemile Hill?
Fivemile Hill is the name of the geological landmark hill located on our land in Bandera, Texas. It is the only hill in a five-mile radius, with a height of about 400 meters (1,300 feet) from sea level.
Why a hummingbird as logo?
The hummingbird symbolizes our love for nature and wildlife. It is our guiding star on our quest to live in harmony with nature and help restore biodiversity.
Hummingbirds are common in the Texas Hill Country. Every year from spring to fall, we see them in our garden in San Antonio and our land in Bandera. They look like beautiful animal jewels. But far from fragile, hummingbirds have extraordinary endurance.
Did you know that the rufous hummingbird flies 3,900 miles (6,300 km) when migrating every year from Alaska to Mexico and has the longest migration of all birds measured in body size? In addition, hummingbirds enter a state of torpor and drop their body temperature every night to save energy, from about 40-41°C (about 104-105°F) to 10-15°C (50-60°F) on average, with the lowest ever recorded at 3°C (37°F) which is close to freezing! And despite their small size, it is impossible to keep hummingbirds in captivity.
The beauty, resilience, and love of freedom of hummingbirds inspire us every day.