Travis Heights Addition

Located on a sloping oak tree-filled lot in the Travis Heights neighborhood, the owners were looking to replace an attached aging carport and second floor deck with a new attached studio apartment with outdoor living space above.

The existing foundation for the carport consisted of a several foot thick concrete slab that was adjacent to two large oak trees. Reusing the existing foundation allowed the house to be located within the trees with minimal new disturbance. Building heights were carefully considered to avoid the existing tree branches, allow for access to the existing house, and provide a spacious living area for the new studio.

The addition was considered as two systems: the enclosed space utilizes a gable form with dropped plate heights to accommodate the adjacent tree branches while the wood deck above uses steel beams to bridge over the enclosed volume. The framing of the deck was designed to allow for two outdoor living levels connected to the existing house while providing openings for the trees to push through. Wood from the original deck was salvaged and reused throughout the design to minimize waste.