Did you know that Pease Park is technically Austin’s first and oldest public park? Donated to the City of Austin in 1875 by Texas Governor Elisha M. Pease, this 84-acre linear park following Shoal Creek up 16 blocks of North Lamar Boulevard is only predated by the public squares laid out in Austin’s original city plan by…
Celebrating Austin’s Finest Public Restroom Architecture
Austin’s got its problems, sure, but one thing this city’s crushing is public restroom design. We take this topic very seriously, not only due to an appreciation of good architecture but because we often use these facilities ourselves, and we believe their existence is critical for safe, equitable urban life. Let’s round up the best of ’em: Festival Beach Restroom Our…
Austin’s Historic Norwood Estate Prepares for a Comeback
After sitting derelict for decades, the future of Austin’s Ollie O. Norwood Estate looks better than ever. This is great news for patient people, since the historic Craftsman-style bungalow built in 1922 by developer and stockbroker Ollie Norwood and his wife Calie at 1018 Edgecliff Terrace on the northwest corner of East Riverside Drive and the I-35 Frontage Road…
Go ‘Beyond the Fence’ at 44 East Avenue With This Documentary Series
Though we’re no strangers to enthusiastic design coverage of upcoming downtown Austin condo, apartment, and office towers, nothing beats video for eye-popping views of the large-scale construction projects changing our city’s skyline every day. That’s why we’re happy to see construction firm Flintco, behind developer Intracorp’s upcoming 44 East Avenue condo tower, putting a little more effort than usual into…
Enjoy the Shade at Brazos Bluff, the Hike-and-Bike Trail’s Latest Upgrade
In all the chaos of the pandemic, we neglected to notice that the Trail Foundation, Austin’s nonprofit stewards of the Hike-and-Bike Trail, reached a nice milestone — Brazos Bluff, one of the organization’s 15 trail improvement projects marking the 15th anniversary of its founding, celebrated its completion last month. The project creates a stopping point with seating and other landscaping features…
A Restoration Project’s on the Way for the Historic Zilker Clubhouse
After 86 years of service and counting, the Zilker Clubhouse, one of Austin’s best examples of Depression-era public works architecture and sporting some of the most impressive skyline views west of MoPac, is bound for a well-deserved scrubbing. Though the current pandemic has delayed its design phase, a rehabilitation plan for the facility is officially in the works at the…