Lakeway RV and Boat Storage | Motif Architects

Motif Architects - 1201 O'Reilly Drive Web.jpg

Lakeway Luxury RV & Boat Storage

Type

Site Study

Location

Lakeway, Texas

Year

2023

Team

Motif Architects

Lakeway Ventures

Features

High bay Canopy
Blends with Topography
Reuse of existing site features
Tree Preservation
Detention Pond

Overview

Developing an underutilized property into a RV and boat storage facility is a process that involves several steps.

First the owner must purchase the land, which requires finding a suitable location, negotiating the price and terms, and securing the financing. This also requires due diligence on the land restrictions, such as zoning, easements, environmental issues, and utilities. This step may require hiring professionals, such as surveyors, engineers, or lawyers, to perform the necessary investigations and assessments.

To gain variances for the development (which often requires applying for and obtaining approval from the relevant authorities) may require presenting architectural drawings, site plans, and other documents that demonstrate the need and justification for the variances.

Architectural drawing exhibits are essential for seeking a building variance for maximum impervious coverage for the development of a RV and boat storage facility. These exhibits show the existing and proposed conditions of the site, including the dimensions, locations, and materials of the buildings, pavements, roofs, and other impervious surfaces. They also demonstrate the need and justification for the variance, such as the site constraints, design objectives, or economic feasibility. The exhibits should be clear, accurate, and consistent with the zoning and stormwater regulations and the variance application.

OReilly Drive Site Study - Parking Plan _web.jpg

Design Concept

The design features multiple awnings and canopies for buses, RVs, and large trailers. These structures provide shade and protection from the sun, rain, and hail for the vehicles and their owners. The awnings and canopies are made of durable and lightweight metal and supported by steel columns. The design also has the ability to incorporate solar panels on the roofs to generate renewable energy for the facility.

The parking lot of the facility is stepped to follow the contours of the existing topography. This design minimizes the need for grading and retaining walls, and preserves the natural drainage patterns of the site.

Areas of the parking lot is paved with permeable pavers to reduce the impervious coverage and runoff from the site. The layout of the parking lot accommodates large turning radius for trailers and boats, allowing easy access and maneuverability for the vehicles. The site planning also considers other factors, such as adequate circulation, security, and lighting for the facility.

Architectural Site Studies

Architectural site studies are important for the development of land use, specifically for impervious coverage limits, topography, building set backs, utility easements and storm water drainage, because they help to evaluate the impact of the design on the environment and the regulations that apply to the site.

Impervious Coverage - The site area has a certain percentage that is covered by surfaces that block water from seeping into the ground, such as roofs, pavements, or buildings . Zoning or stormwater ordinances set limits on this percentage to manage the runoff amount and quality from the site and to avoid flooding, erosion, and waterway contamination. Site studies can help to estimate the current and planned impervious coverage of the site and to find solutions to lower it or lessen its impacts, such as using pavers that let water pass through, roofs that have vegetation, or gardens that collect rainwater.

Topography - The shape and features of land surfaces, such as height, steepness, direction, and form, are the focus of topography. Topography affects the design of the site in terms of its location, alignment, shape, materials, structure, and environmental performance. Site studies can help to examine the topography of the site and its surroundings using lines of equal elevation, digital models of terrain, or field measurements. Site studies can also help to discover the advantages, limitations, and possibilities of the site based on its topography, such as scenery, sun exposure, water flow, or natural risks.

Building Setbacks - The site and its surroundings require adequate light, air, privacy, fire safety, and aesthetics, which are ensured by zoning or building codes that regulate the minimum distances between a building or structure and the property lines or other features on the site. These are the building set backs. The site may also have utility easements, which are legal rights given by a property owner to another party to use part of the property for a specific purpose, such as utility lines or equipment. These easements may limit the property use by the owner or influence the site design. Site studies can help to find out the set back and easement requirements for the site and to design the building or structure without any conflicts or encroachments.

Site studies analyze the site and its context for land use development. Such exercises help guide the design of projects - like this RV and boat storage facility, by considering its physical, environmental, legal, and social aspects. They reveal the site's opportunities, constraints, potential, and community needs.