Holly Missing Middle
Austin, TX | Martin Haettasch's Advanced Studio Fall 2020 | Completed with Coleman Brink
The Holly Neighborhood
Austin’s rapid rate of growth has increased demand for housing, sending rents and property taxes skyrocketing. In the Holly neighborhood of Austin’s East side, large-scale apartments, offices, and homes have replaced the historic fabric of single-story bungalow homes.
This continuing process of gentrification has priced out the majority of Black and Latino residents of Austin's East Side who are now forced to pick between small nearby apartments or relocation to homes along the extremities of Austin’s metro area, or other cities.
The Site
This community exists on a vacant, brownfield industrial site. The triangle shape is formed by the edges of the Amtrak railway line, North Pleasant Valley Road, and East 5th Street.
This project attempts to create a “missing middle” between dense apartments and traditional single-family homes, providing an alternative option for these residents and alleviating some of the intense demand for housing in the area.
Site Climate Diagram
While more compact the elements of the single-family home such as a backyard, front yard, public green spaces, and a ground-level front door are retained. Each unit has an individual side yard that provides green space, allows in light from the southeast, and natural ventilation from the prevailing northerly winds.
Site Arrangement Diagram
Site Plan
Site Sections
Retail, housing, and public space coexist to create a truly urban community. Units differ in size to allow for a greater diversity of residents.
A raised artificial ground allows for a greater density of units. Parking and retail space lie below, creating both a car-free, walkable environment for the residents living above and creates space for small businesses and restaurants at the street level.
Elevations
Diagrams
Large Unit Plan
Unit Construction
Units are constructed largely out of prefabricated wood trusses and 2x6 wood framing to limit the embodied energy of materials. Three-story units are accessed by an elevated street supported by prefabricated concrete and beams.