Originally an electrical substation, this decommissioned tract in Austin's Hyde Park neighborhood was recently transformed into a small pocket park by the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department. Renamed Sparky Park, the site was recently opened up for the use of the neighborhood.
h+uo was brought onto the project by the City of Austin Parks Department to create and develop a feasibility study tasked with determining possible uses for the space as well as a proposed design. The design suggests opening up a wide swath of the non-historic east wall and inserting a large folding glass door system. This new opening facilitates easy transitions from inside to out for people attending functions at the building and would have a pull-down projection screen for movies in the park. A new bathroom and kitchenette added to the building, along with the wall replacement, provides many opportunities for the community to activate this new-old park structure.