AUSTIN | 405 Colorado Street | 356 FEET | 25 FLOORS | Completed

[kingkirbythe....]

Originally Posted by zrx299

I still cannot believe that a team of people somewhere, sat around a conference room, and said "Yeah! This design looks great!"

That’s EXACTLY how you get this design. Design by committee.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Just watch. Somehow this will turn out to be the best project of the year. Elegant yet utilitarian, a study in contrasts between the divine and the profane. Glass vs. brick, pedestrian vs. car, awesome vs. not so much.

I’m just saying. We’re almost certainly underestimating this one.

I think you are right.
I love the deconstruction of the building.... it is a gem on a setting. It graphically drawing attention to the podium/parking and lets it be what it is.
I like that uses it's materiality to draw attention to that. ( it's actually a lot of effort to make that all brick!)
Tall and lean is only one way to design. I'm glad this is not just a generic glass tower.
let's see what happens!

[Urbannizer]

[the Genral]

I've been a harsh critic of this since the rendering came out. I think I'm going soft when I say I agree with the last 2 posts. This actually may turn out rather nice in the finished product. Its different and sometimes that's not a bad thing. The parking garage though too big imo, looks to be done nicely and the glass top will sparkle nicely in contrast. But I won't go against my opinion of that Barton Springs monster. I may be lightening up, but I still have my standards. But I'm giving this 405 a thumbs up.

[zrx299]

It's almost like the designers said "F*** it, only the top 1/3 of this thing (at best) is going to be seen in Instagram skyline shots, so why do we care what the rest of it looks like? Let's value engineer as much as possible. Provide as big of a parking podium as possible so we can be attractive to Suburban John & Jane making their commutes in from Leander and Buda, and call it a day! Now who's ready for shots at the bar?!"

...and everyone left the conference room happy.

[lzppjb]

What's wrong with commuting from Buda?

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

What's wrong with commuting from Buda?

You don't know? You are the problem. We wouldn't have big parking podiums if folks like you didn't drive in from the damn suburbs.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by The ATX

You don't know? You are the problem. We wouldn't have big parking podiums if folks like you didn't drive in from the damn suburbs.

Honestly, though, I'm not the problem. I work in South Austin. Live in Kyle. I also work nights, so going to work I'm driving against the heaviest traffic. When I drive home, there's no one on the road.

It's great. I hear all these stories about terrible Austin traffic, and I never experience it save for the few times I head out of town during an afternoon.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

I think you are right.
I love the deconstruction of the building.... it is a gem on a setting. It graphically drawing attention to the podium/parking and lets it be what it is.
I like that uses it's materiality to draw attention to that. ( it's actually a lot of effort to make that all brick!)
Tall and lean is only one way to design. I'm glad this is not just a generic glass tower.
let's see what happens!

Yes.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by zrx299

I still cannot believe that a team of people somewhere, sat around a conference room, and said "Yeah! This design looks great!"

Agreed.

[78701]

Originally Posted by zrx299

I still cannot believe that a team of people somewhere, sat around a conference room, and said "Yeah! This design looks great!"

Piece of cake: it's easy for a man to agree to something when his salary depends on doing so.

[daedalusatx]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

I think you are right.
I love the deconstruction of the building.... it is a gem on a setting. It graphically drawing attention to the podium/parking and lets it be what it is.
I like that uses it's materiality to draw attention to that. ( it's actually a lot of effort to make that all brick!)
Tall and lean is only one way to design. I'm glad this is not just a generic glass tower.
let's see what happens!

[We vs us]

[ATxponent]

Construction perimeter now expanding to occupy a lane of 4th St, which has been restriped accordingly, south of the site.

EDIT: Also, expanded into Colorado St.

[NYC2ATX]

Seriously though, people be making jokes but this is going to be one of the most recognizable buildings in the city soon enough. After all, it is right opposite the Frost Tower.

[AustinGoesVertical]

I’ve always liked this one. Same architect as The Frost, and that’s another one that you couldn’t really judge until it was finished. I like that it dares to be different, not just another glass box. The public Sky Lobby is a big deal and the glass elevators are something I don’t think any other building downtown has.

For my own taste, I like when buildings differentiate the programs in the aesthetic design of the building. Seamless transition between parking and office levels is okay, but comes off a bit strange - especially when I look at 5th and Colorado and think of it as just a glass parking garage.

Only the top half will be visible from a skyline perspective and that blank side may be masked by a different building in the future. I’m actually really looking forward to watching this one rise.

[clubtokyo]

I think it goes right along with our “weird” theme, I have no issues with it.

[Jdawgboy]

Well there is no doubt this is probably the most controversial tower with a good split between love it or hate it. My main issue is the parking but other than that the office portion is pretty cool and unique.

It's overkill because there is plenty of parking in and around that area but reality is people will park there due to its convenience to surrounding entertainment venues. Many people apparently don't like to walk more than 2 or 3 blocks if they can help it. Basically the parking garage will outcompete some of the other parking options and those will become lightly used or empty.

[The ATX]

The "14 stories" of parking in this project is not a lot when compared to other projects. This project is only 1/4 of a block where most projects are 1/2 or more of a block. So this is equivalent to a 1/2 block office tower with 7 levels of parking. That's pretty good actually when compared to the number of parking levels on most half block office towers. Also, none of the parking levels are underground. It would have been nice to have 5 levels or so underground, but that would have only hidden the parking and not reduced it.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by The ATX

The "14 stories" of parking in this project is not a lot when compared to other projects. This project is only 1/4 of a block where most projects are 1/2 or more of a block. So this is equivalent to a 1/2 block office tower with 7 levels of parking. That's pretty good actually when compared to the number of parking levels on most half block office towers. Also, none of the parking levels are underground. It would have been nice to have 5 levels or so underground, but that would have only hidden the parking and not reduced it.

It may not be a lot in the grand scheme of things compared to others but it's still adding to an already abundant amount of parking but it will be successful due to its location.