Andre Boudreaux

Urban life in the 21st century is characterized by rapidly changing patterns, an increasing number of habitation patterns beyond the traditional nuclear family, and a rediscovery of the power of multigenerational house-holds. A house is no longer the only home. Housing in the urban core of Austin, Texas is a complex battleground where traditional single family typologies are at war with imposing mixed use apartment blocks. This has been brought on as a result of a population rise, primarily consisting of the urban creative class. The influx of new residents has caused a housing shortage and more importantly a skyrocketing of property values throughout the Austin, but especially on the Eastside. Residents who are financially unable to purchase homes are at the mercy of property management groups who offer substandard apartments at premium rates. This has sparked a transient lifestyle lacking in character, culture, and permanence in the domestic domain. Inspired by the notion of housing for a lifecycle, our project aspires to produce homes that can reach beyond the traditional notions of flexible space, and truly accommodate the changing needs while providing for social and economic stability. We see the future of urban living as relationship centric, stabilized but flexible enough to accommodate a variety of new family dynamics. We are attempting to address this problem with hopes of retaining many of the qualities that make the traditional East Austin housing type so charming. A way this can be accomplished is through a reimagining of the house as an opportunity for multigenerational living. User groups in Austin are as diverse as the city itself and why shouldn’t that be reflected in the way Austinites inhabit the urban fabric of the Eastside? LifeCycle seeks to provide homes to young families, couples, empty nesters, University professors, Graduate Students, and many more.