The Backyard

The Backyard is a unique development where cutting-edge technology, sophisticated work spaces, entertainment, and live music converge in a natural setting. This creative campus also sets a precedent for sustainability with true utility emissions among the lowest in the United States.

The Distributed Energy Center achieves 90% efficiency ratings versus the conventional 30%- 40% by capturing and re-using heat that is typically released into the atmosphere, which significantly reduces global warming. The plant will not only generate electricity, but also chilled water to cool the data centers. 

The Backyard Offices serve as a model for the modern workplace, combining the efficiency of regular floor plates with a dramatic variety of working environments. Long, narrow work spaces overlap, following the natural landscape of the Hill Country to maximize views and provide optimal daylight to every part of the building.

The design strategy for the data centers simultaneously celebrates new, sustainable energy technology, educates the public, and serves as a dynamic art piece at the entrance to the Backyard site. Our strategy is to display the units at the ends of the data centers where we have covered porches that can be lit with a programmable lighting system. In this way, we can educate the public about alternative power generation in an artistic way.

By strategically varying floor-to-floor heights in the parking garage, conditioned spaces are inserted into the structure and become an integral component of the garage function. As a result, users are afforded shaded, direct access to the office spaces from the parking area without the use of stairs or elevators. On the exterior, a “green screen” façade seamlessly links the two programs together via a modern architectural mesh.

Project name The Backyard

Typology Masterplanning, Office, Hospitality,

Education, Utility, Entertainment

Location Bee Cave, Texas

Year 2016

Status Feasibility Studies

Size 1,600,000 square feet

Design Team Thomas Bercy, Calvin Chen,

Cale Montgomery, Nathan Landreville