Clawson Residences Open in South Austin

Billed as contemporary tree houses, the homes were designed and built in harmony with the area's green spaces.

Mark Odom Studio subdivided a 1-acre lot to accommodate eight condos along a shared drive in South Austin, Texas. The site, located off South Lamar at 3202 Clawson Road, is 2.7 miles from downtown and 10 miles to the Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

The street’s canopy of trees led to the development’s “modern tree houses” moniker. Each residence was designed around multistemmed oaks and cedar elms, highlighting specific site amenities. The duplexes offer two- and three-bedroom floorplans and range in size from 1,390 to 2,001 square feet. 

Sustainable design

Even though the building form and materials are similar across the project, each unit has unique characteristics. Sustainability was an important factor in the development of the residences, which obtained proper sound transmittance ratings. The buildings incorporate cross-ventilation and massive windows and skylights for natural lighting, and have a limited impact on the existing site and trees.

“The 1-acre project site, which originally housed just one single-family home, was divided into four separate lots, commonly known as an ‘infill.’ This type of build strategically densifies an underutilized parcel of land while keeping the same scale of the neighborhood,” said Mark Odom, founding principal of Mark Odom Studio, in a prepared statement.

Odom’s team handled the design, interiors and landscape at the property. Acero Construction was the builder, Little City Development was the developer and MJ Structures handled the structural aspect of the project.    

Images courtesy of Chase Daniel via Mark Odom Studio