Set within the historic Travis Heights neighborhood of Austin, this compact urban lot posed two significant challenges: managing natural slope within a limited footprint and maximizing the visual impact of greenery in a tight space. The client envisioned a clean, modern outdoor environment that felt lush and layered—yet the lot’s grade made it difficult to use space efficiently and introduced drainage concerns.
The design also needed to establish functional zones without interrupting flow or overcomplicating the layout. Every plant, material, and feature had to be intentional, offering both performance and visual clarity within a highly constrained space.
To bring structure and softness into balance, we designed a terraced layout that followed the site’s natural slope—allowing us to carve out functional areas without resorting to heavy retaining walls. Steel-edged planting beds, gravel seating zones, and a custom concrete-and-steel deck created strong, modern lines while enhancing usability across grade changes.
To handle drainage, we introduced dry creek beds and connected roof downspouts to direct water strategically through the property, ensuring runoff worked with the design rather than against it. Stone edging was used throughout to delineate planting areas while reinforcing the modern aesthetic.
A mix of artificial turf and zoysia lawn pockets offered soft, low-maintenance surfaces for play and relaxation. A large heritage oak was protected during construction and integrated into the layout as a living focal point. The result is a visually clean yet botanically rich landscape that feels expansive, curated, and entirely at home within Travis Heights.
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