Dallas, TX 2023-2025
The Oliver Residence transforms a compact 40’ × 100’ lot in Uptown Dallas into a resilient, community-facing landscape shaped by native ecology and climate responsiveness. Set within a dense neighborhood, the garden responds to limited space, close adjacency, and a changing climate while positioning the landscape as a connective system rather than a private retreat. This site demonstrates how a modest urban lot can function as ecological system, neighborhood edge, and resilient landscape infrastructure. Through native planting and minimal hardscape, the project integrates environmental performance with daily use while contributing meaningfully to its surrounding neighborhood.
The front garden functions as a semi-public space, maintaining openness to the street while establishing a clear yet permeable edge through layered planting and a low steel picket fence. Spatial definition is created through planting density, ground plane transitions, and sequence, forming a soft threshold between public and private. Native plantings support habitat, seasonal change, and long-term resilience. Grasses along the sidewalk extend ecological function into the public realm, while an unmown lawn provides a durable ground plane that reduces maintenance and supports daily use.
Design decisions were shaped by the site’s scale, climate, and the homeowners’ relationship to the landscape. Plant selections respond to heat and drought, while layered edges provide privacy without solid barriers. Existing artwork meaningful to the homeowners is integrated throughout the garden, allowing personal expression to sit comfortably within the planting. Due to the absence of mature canopy, plant massing and ground plane strategies help cool and soften the site. Material choices emphasize restraint and longevity. Steel and concrete are used selectively to frame space, support climbing vegetation, and accommodate everyday activities, including outdoor artwork.
Architect: Abeyta Architecture Studio (Formerly Abeyta Tibbs Architecture); Bentley Tibbs | Eddie Abeyta
Photography: Charles David Smith, Alex Fradkin Photography, Paper Kites Studio