For its first foray into the urban landscape of Austin, Texas, Swiss architecture studio Herzog & de Meuron brought together brand new mass-timber buildings with existing stores and houses—some of which date back to the 20s. Luckily, it has become a common practice for contemporary architects to aim and preserve and/or repurpose existing structures. In this way, the heritage of the location lives on, while the practice is, in and of itself, largely sustainable, as well.
Spanning an entire city block, the new development is located at the intersection of West Sixth Street and Blanco Street. The proposal includes restaurants, shops, and a hotel. Although the materials for this development have not yet been fully disclosed, the studio has stated that it will rely on a “materials palette aligned with the historic fabric.”
Image Credit: Dezeen