“It’s good for the city; it’s good for the landscape. It dignifies the way people live in community and makes it easier to live with each other and create a protective and well-woven society.”
— Paola Calzada
Location Austin
Client DMA Companies
Architect Nelsen Partners
Design Team Phil Crisara, AIA, Carson Nelsen, AIA, Bob Newell, AIA, Lindsay Abati, AIA, Jose Aparicio, Daniela Valle
Contractor Skybeck Construction
Civil Engineer Stantec
MEP Engineer WGI
Structural Engineer Connect Structural
Interior Design PDR
Landscape Architect dwg.
Talavera Lofts occupies a tight urban site wedged between a major bicycle connector and a light rail, with a station just a block away. Ninety of its 93 units are reserved for applicants earning as little as one-third of the area median income. In response to the adjacent rail line, the architects used resilient exterior cladding with corrugated metal and custom-designed tiles. They also included a roof deck on the second floor that provides a private space for residents, highlighting the sense of community that is at the heart of this development. Austin Energy Green Building rated, the project met important sustainability goals during design and construction, including diverting over 244 tons of construction waste from the landfill.