The Villas at Westover Hills is a luxury apartment complex set in the hill country of San Antonio. Brandon Booher led the team in designing the project . The concept for this project was unique because of its location which backs up to a nature trail and natural growth of landscape. It was important to keep this in mind when creating the layout, making sure it would blend with the natural elements surrounding it.
When planning The Villas at Westover Hills, several design elements were included: a dog park, three-pool layout, built-in grill and barbecue area, kids park, sand volleyball and tennis courts.
The dog park incorporated the trees that were already in existence along with some new elements to give it a feel of the hill country while adding a modern rustic country feel. It added a great place for pet owners to enjoy the outdoors with their animal while feeling like they were in the natural elements of the hill country.
When planning a three pool design, it is important to consider how they will all play together. Each pool has a purpose, but making it flow is key. There is a lap pool, a basketball/play pool and a traditional pool. The pools each have a “beach” entrance to allow for lounging and kid play areas. All of these are tied together with a beautiful fountain in the middle.
A pool wouldn’t be complete without a place for everyone to gather around and enjoy each others company. Planning this outdoor grill and barbecue was an exciting task to take on. The area needed to serve a purpose while being a place that residents want to hang out. Final design incorporated a modern bar top table for serving and eating with a built in brick grill, a great place to spend time with friends and enjoy some delicious food.
The kids park is always a unique element to plan. Some important things to keep in mind for this project were the hot, humid climate of San Antonio and the surrounding landscape of the hill country. Because of the heat, adding a canopy to cover the playground was a must. We chose to go with a soft green turf to blend with natural elements and allow for a safe environment for the kids. Each of the structures was chosen based off of their color-way, which blended with the natural colors.
Getting to add additional features to a project is always a lot of fun. The last main design that was added included an outdoor “sports complex” with a sand volleyball court and a tennis court. Keeping the features simple and symmetrical made this area fit right in with the natural surroundings. The design allows for enjoyment of the sport and a place to relax while enjoying watching the game.
The Villas at Westover Hills is one of our favorite projects we have designed to date. The mix of modern urban design with the hill country natural landscape was truly a dream come true to plan. The final project shows the diverse style of design features we can add to a project while keeping with the same overall aesthetic. We cannot wait to design more unique projects like this one.