People sometimes ask why a developer would start a plan with the porch. The answer is simple: in Austin, summer is lived outdoors after six, and a porch that is too small never gets used.
So we draw the porch first, at full size, and place the rooms around it. The living room is always next to it, and the kitchen is a few steps away. Bedrooms sit on the quieter side.
The test is easy. If you can seat the family around a table out there, it works. At Holly Street Lofts the porches run from 160 to 320 sq ft, and at Zilker Terraces the terraces reach 780 sq ft.
Shade matters as much as size. Deep overhangs and cedar soffits keep the glass cool in July, and the openings on two sides let the breeze move through the house.
