Fifth and Tillery, an adaptive reuse project, has revitalized a post-industrial site in East Austin, Texas. Limited to the footprint of an existing warehouse, the site has been reimagined as a vibrant indoor-outdoor creative office building.
The design inverts the typical office environment by bringing pedestrian circulation outdoors, which reduces energy demand and promotes tenant wellbeing. An inviting entry plaza serves as an outdoor lobby. Oriented to the south, the plaza invites predominant breezes into a landscaped courtyard that doubles as a multitenant corridor and source of daylight.
The site features a central green corridor and rain garden inspired by the native ravine microhabitats of Central Texas. An onsite reclaimed water system captures roof runoff, directing it to the raingarden and water feature that runs through the campus.
Integration of nature throughout the property draws users into common spaces, creating a dynamic social environment that encourages chance connections and spontaneous collaboration. A large social stairway promotes active design and can also function as an auditorium for community events. Floor-to-ceiling windows line the shaded courtyard, and a north-facing elevation maximizes views of the landscape.
Punched openings balance daylight and heat gain along the east and west facing facades. Bolstering the building’s sustainability, an overhead photovoltaic array and covered walkways provide shade. To improve air quality, integrated louvers with fresh air fans were placed around the courtyard where landscape and breezes provide natural filtration. The expansive photovoltaic array helps reduce the building’s embodied and operational carbon footprint.
The architectural theme is utilitarian and natural, with a simple palette of industrial materials layered onto a hybrid timber structure that blends seamlessly into neighboring districts. Complimentary materials—left-over glulam segments—were used as benches that mirror the beams of the primary structure. Prominently placed cisterns at the building’s entry reflects the site’s industrial history and emphasis on sustainable design.
On the building team:
Owner and/or developer: CIM Group
Design architect: Gensler
Architect of record: Gensler
MEP engineer: Arete
Structural engineer: MJ Structures
General contractor/construction manager: RM Chiapas
Related Stories
| Jun 24, 2014
Intuit begins work on LEED Platinum campus addition
Demolition will begin this week as a precursor to construction of Intuit's new addition to its Mountain View, Calif., campus. The first of two additions, a 185,000-sf building on Marine Way, is expected to begin construction in August.
| Jun 20, 2014
Sterling Bay pulled on board for Chicago Old Main Post Office project
Sterling Bay Cos. and Bill Davies' International Property Developers North America partner up for a $500 million restoration of Chicago's Old Main Post Office
| Jun 19, 2014
First look: JDS Architects' roller-coaster-like design for Istanbul waterfront development
The development's wavy and groovy design promises unobstructed views of the Marmara Sea for every unit.
| Jun 18, 2014
Study shows walkable urbanism has positive economic impact
Walkable communities have a higher GDP, greater wealth, and higher percentages of college grads, according to a new study by George Washington University.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 17, 2014
World's tallest pair of towers to serve as 'environmental catalyst' for China
The Phoenix Towers are expected to reach 1 km, the same height as Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill's Kingdom Tower, but would set a record for multiple towers in one development.
| Jun 16, 2014
6 U.S. cities at the forefront of innovation districts
A new Brookings Institution study records the emergence of “competitive places that are also cool spaces.”
| Jun 12, 2014
Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects' design selected for new UCSC facility
The planned site is a natural landscape among redwood trees with views over Monterey Bay, a site that the architects have called “one of the most beautiful they have ever worked on.”
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
| Jun 11, 2014
Bill signing signals approval to revitalize New Orleans’ convention center corridor
A plan to revitalize New Orleans' Convention Center moves forward after Louisiana governor signs bill.
