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Enlarged windows and felt-covered walls are among the elements of an office building from the 1960s that was renovated by the Texan company Clayton Korte and which takes up part of the building.
The project, called the Design Office, is north of downtown Austin on one of the city’s main thoroughfares. It houses two studios – one for Clayton Korte, formerly Clayton & Little, and the other for Word + Carr Design Group, a landscape architecture firm.
Clayton Korte renovated the 1960s Austin office building
The project involved the renovation of a steel frame building with brick infill, which was built in 1963 as a speculative office building. When Clayton Korte received it, the building had dreary, dark offices and was hard work – but the company was not deterred.
“We took the chance to acquire it because we saw the untapped potential of the raw rooms,” said the team.
The building houses two studios
The two-story building, 9,648 square feet (896 square meters), is nestled into a hillside. From the front to the rear, the property slopes one floor.
Over the years, the soil had become unstable, so the team first had to focus on stabilizing the structure. A total of 65 load-bearing pillars were drilled to prevent the building from sliding towards a stream across the street.
The studio has introduced new spaces into the interior
After the stabilization work was completed, the team turned to the interior of the building.
“The interior has been gutted, leaving an empty shell into which a minimal set of rooms has been introduced,” said the architects.
Existing windows have been replaced with double-sized versions
To let in more daylight and offer a better view, existing windows have been replaced with larger, double-sized versions. Semi-transparent curtains modulate the bright Texas sun.
The surrounding inner walls were cleaned and covered with industrial felt so that they can be used as pin boards for collaboration.
Clayton Korte embeds hidden wine cave in the Texas hillside
Private offices were placed in the corners so that most of the office could flow freely. Low furniture increases the feeling of openness.
For certain surfaces, the team chose a raw aesthetic. The white ceiling insulation was exposed, as was the original concrete floor. Steel was used for skirting boards, window frames, and interior doors.
Felt-clad walls can be used as pin boards
A simple staircase connecting the two floors of the building has been removed and the staircase opening widened. The team created a new staircase with a steel string, exposed welds and oak steps.
“The oil-treated post oak, which was harvested in 2011 after a severe drought, also envelops the stairs,” said the team. “The central open staircase anchors the large, light-flooded studios on both floors.”
The stairs have oak threads. Photo is by Chloe Hope Gilstrap
The team also made several updates to the exterior. The brick walls were coated with lime plaster – a permanent coating of powdered limestone common in the area. A pop-out volume with glass and steel has been renewed above the entrance.
The project also included new landscaping, including grasses and climbing ivy.
Clayton Korte has offices in Austin and San Antonio. The company’s other projects include a wine cellar that is hidden in a limestone cave and thus disappears into the surrounding landscape.
The photograph is by Casey Dunn unless otherwise noted.
Project Loans:
Architecture: Clayton Korte
Interior architect: Clayton Korte
General contractor: Polish & Plumb
Landscape architect: Word + Carr design group
Structural engineer: Scott Williamson
Metal processing: Drophouse design
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