Clarksville

/in , /by

Priorities: Level, usable front yard – Preserve neighborhood character – Space for community gatherings
Challenges: Steep downhill slope – Limited functional lawn area – Managing sump pump outflow
Solutions: Reclaimed stone retaining wall with integrated steps – Yard grading – French drain and rerouted outflow

This client engaged Maas Verde to construct a retaining wall to raise and level his Central Austin front yard. The existing yard sloped severely downhill and left very little usable flat space. With its commanding view of downtown, the house is often the scene of community fundraising parties, yet the slope limited the usability.

In keeping with the 1930s character of the neighborhood, we constructed about 90 linear feet of “bric-a-brac” wall using a combination of natural and reclaimed stone, and found objects, including oyster shells and native fossils.  We included a prominent set of stone steps. Hidden in the construction are steel deadmen and stakes to hold the wall in place, as well as a French drain to prevent water buildup.

 

After all the masonry was completed, we leveled the yard with high-quality landscape soil and laid 2 pallets of Zoysia sod. We also rebuilt a small screening fence at the property’s edge. An unusual challenge was the presence of an outflow pipe connecting to the basement sump-pump of the house. At fairly regular intervals, the pump would empty the sump into the area of our project. We rerouted the outflow (and French drain) to pop out unobtrusively near the street-side stone landing.

 

Pool with Privacy Wall and Fence

/in , /by

Priorities: Resort-Inspired Pool – Privacy – Safety
Challenges: Elevation Change – Multi-Trade Coordination
Solutions: CMU Privacy Wall – Boulder Terraces – Iron Safety Fencing

This Southwest Austin client wanted to build a pool with surrounding landscaping influenced by the Line Hotel in Downtown Austin. The client obtained construction drawings from a local designer and brought in Maas Verde to complete three key phases of the project.

 

During Phase One, we constructed concrete footers for the CMU Wall and pool deck, which required precise measurements and careful coordination with the pool and deck builders to ensure everything connected properly.

In addition, we constructed a CMU Wall on one side of the pool to provide privacy from the neighbors and support an Accoya wood deck. The CMU Wall was constructed with custom-welded steel cubbies to store towels and clothing for friends and family enjoying the new pool!

 

Phase Two included using masonry to create boulder terraces leading up to the pool from the client’s house, using 85 cave blocks, each weighing 2,000 pounds. The pool is at a higher elevation than the house; therefore, when looking from the back porch towards the pool, the boulder terraces are all you can see, which creates an experience of a “hidden pool”. During the next planting season, the client wants to install native plantings in each level of the terraces to create a natural swimming pool experience.

 

During the final phase, Phase Three, we installed 290 linear feet of code-compliant, 5-foot tall, iron safety fencing with three, 4-foot-wide gates around the pool.