Garage Unit

Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge

GARAGE UNIT

Lzt Architects

ARCHITECTS
Lzt Architects

PHOTOGRAPHS
Murray Legge

LOCATION
Austin, United States

CATEGORY
Refurbishment

YEAR
2010

AREA
30.0 m2

Text description provided by architect.

Nestled underneath an existing mid-century home on the edge of a hillside, this 320 square-foot garage apartment makes creative use of a small space.

Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge

The client, who also doubled as the general contractor on the project, used common fixtures and materials in order to keep the project as inexpensive as possible.

Translucent wall panels on two walls bring diffused light into the main living area, while large windows across the North wall connect the unit with an outdoor terrace space and give the whole apartment a much larger feel.

Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge

The previously neglected side yard was re-purposed as an outdoor seating area with an inventive fence made of a steel mesh and recycled cedar pieces.

These wood scraps each pivot independently within the fence's mesh frame, allowing for infinite variations of permeability.

 The windows are strategically placed to simultaneously frame certain views, such as the neighboring greenbelt, while also blocking others, such as the driveway out front.

Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge

Inside, an alternating tread stair set doubles as shelves while leading to a 1/2 bedroom loft that is actually suspended from the house above.


Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge
Garage Unit
© Murray Legge


Garage Unit
Plan
Garage Unit
Site Plan

Garage Unit
Section