Alta Vista Residence

[{"body":{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Tucked nonchalantly into Austin\u2019s Travis Heights neighborhood, this single-family home offers a recently relocated family the opportunity to live just a few blocks from some of the city\u2019s most popular restaurants and music venues. In the pre-war, tree-lined neighborhood, where rising property values have encouraged a much higher density for its 7,000-square-foot lots, the Alta Vista Residence is a counterproposal for the immodesties of such urban transformation."]]],[1,"blockquote",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThe way the home fits among and takes advantage of the relationships to the heritage oaks on-site makes being at home something of a continual rediscovery and delight.\u201d - Jury comment"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"An efficient plan for a compact volume formed the foundation of the home\u2019s design, which is oriented to maximize energy efficiency and to prompt stronger relationships with its natural surroundings. The team relied on affordable strategies for energy savings, which include an airtight envelope and engineered variable refrigerant flow air conditioning systems with dedicated dehumidification and ventilation. Its concrete walls and the steel paneling that clad the exterior are dexterous and tough enough to age gracefully and resist weathering. "]]],[1,"p",[]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The home is perched between a creek escarpment and several towering live oak trees. One of the trees is foregrounded to intrigue and delight visitors who enter beneath its limbs and across a modest bridge. Once inside, the carefully choreographed series of spaces signal the team\u2019s attention to detail. Throughout, abstraction is harnessed to focus attention on the subtlety of light and materials, and board-formed concrete and rift-sawn white oak anchor the interior against the constant pull of the outdoors. "]]],[1,"p",[]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The primary interior spaces also open to the outdoors and two additional live oak canopies. Large sliding panels disappear into an adjacent wall to open up the main room, which sits 10 feet off the ground, to an engaging private landscape. A separate 600-square-foot accessory dwelling unit and another 1,300 square feet below capitalize on Austin\u2019s floor area ratio exemptions. Nestled into the hillside, these units open directly onto the landscape. A room on the home\u2019s third floor boasts views beyond the private world cultivated by the design team. "]]],[1,"p",[]],[1,"blockquote",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThis project represents a studied and clever use of zoning to maximize the size of the project and provide opportunities for multiple living arrangements,\u201d - Jury comment"]]],[1,"p",[]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Since the project\u2019s completion, it has continually exceeded the clients\u2019 expectations, supporting their lifestyle and offering a steady source of inspiration. They have reported a newfound love of being at home, a feeling that ameliorated more than a year of COVID-19 pandemic-induced social distancing. "]]],[1,"p",[]],[1,"p",[]]]},"title":"Project highlights"},{"body":{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/resources\/6077668-framework-for-design-excellence","target","_new"]],["strong"],["em"]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"AIA Framework for Design Excellence"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The "],[0,[0],1,"AIA Framework for Design Excellence"],[0,[],0," represents the defining principles of good design in the 21st century. Comprised of 10 principles and accompanied by searching questions, the Framework seeks to inform progress toward a zero-carbon, equitable, resilient, and healthy built environment. "]]],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Design for Integration"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Was there a design charrette? "],[0,[],0,"Yes"]]],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Design for Ecosystems"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Site area that supported vegetation (landscape or green roof) pre-development:"],[0,[],0," 59% "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Site area that supports vegetation post-development:"],[0,[],0," 45%"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Site area covered by native plants supporting native or migratory species and pollinators:"],[0,[],0," 45%"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Strategies used to promote Design for Ecosystems:"],[0,[],0," Biodiversity, Dark\nskies, Bird safety, Soil conservation, Habitat conservation, flora\/fauna"]]],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Design for Water"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Is potable water used for irrigation? "],[0,[],0," Yes"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Is potable water used for cooling?"],[0,[],0," No "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Is grey\/blackwater reused on-site?"],[0,[],0," No "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Is rainwater collected on-site?"],[0,[],0," No "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Stormwater managed on-site:"],[0,[],0," 100 %"]]],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Design for Energy"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"2030 Commitment baseline EUI:"],[0,[],0," 38 kBtu\/sf\/yr"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Predicted net EUI including on-site renewables:"],[0,[],0," 22.5 kBtu\/sf\/yr"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Reduction from the benchmark: "],[0,[],0,"41%"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Is the project all-electric?"],[0,[],0," Yes"]]],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Design for Well-being"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Level of air filters installed: "],[0,[],0,"MERV 15-16 "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Was a \u201cchemicals of concern\u201d list used to inform material selection?"],[0,[],0," Yes "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Do greater than 90% of occupied spaces have a direct view to the outdoors? "],[0,[],0,"Yes "]]],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Design for Resources "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Were embodied carbon emissions estimated for this project?"],[0,[],0," Yes"]]],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Design for Change"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Estimated service life: "],[0,[],0,"100 years"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Floor area, if any, representing adapting existing buildings:"],[0,[],0," 0% "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Ability to survive without utility power:"],[0,[],0," passive survivability"]]],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Design for Discovery"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Has a post-occupancy evaluation been conducted?"],[0,[],0," No, but a POE will be conducted "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Building performance transparency steps taken:"],[0,[],0," (Note: if only one option is selected, do not use bullets.)"]]],[3,"ul",[[[0,[],0,"Present the design, outcomes, and\/or lessons learned to the office"]],[[0,[],0,"Present the design, outcomes, and\/or lessons learned to the profession"]],[[0,[],0,"Present the design, outcomes, and\/or lessons learned to the public"]],[[0,[],0,"Publish post-occupancy data from the project"]],[[0,[],0,"Publish lessons learned from design, construction, and\/or occupancy"]]]],[1,"p",[]],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Disclaimer"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[2],1,"This information is being provided as a convenience and has been prepared by third parties. It is provided for informational purposes only. Providing this material does not constitute an endorsement or approval by AIA of any of the information. AIA bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of this information. Please use at your own discretion. "]]],[1,"p",[]]]},"title":"Framework for Design Excellence Metrics"}]