BKCW
Architecture
3,000 SF
Preserving the Past, Defining the Future
Austin, TX
An iconic Austin office building, built in 1960, has undergone a complete renovation. Cantilevering towards North Lamar Blvd, this mid-century structure is nestled along a main Austin thoroughfare and integral midtown park district.
The project began not only as a full renovation of the 3,000 square foot office building built in 1960 (by architects Pendley & Day), but also as an adaptive reuse, ensuring the true preservation of the original building.
Over the years, the project had been internally subdivided, limiting the experience of the original building stature. The goal was to fully open the space, a nod to the open office layout seen in insurance and advertising companies in the mid-1960s. This approach fully expressed the entire building volume by not only opening up the interior, but by allowing the prominent glass facades to flood the space with natural light.
To accomplish many of the reuse portions, the BKCW project salvaged as much existing brick as possible and replaced existing storefront windows with new energy efficient glazing, framed with steel mullions to match the original window pattern. Internally and externally, the use of mid-century materials, such as vintage brick, stained wood paneling, and cork flooring, brought this project back to is former life. The careful resourcing of these details made it possible to update the original low ceiling, raising it one foot to achieve eight-foot ceiling heights throughout, with a seamless transition inside and out.
