Watch This East Austin Office Building Rust Before Your Eyes

A view of the office building at 901 East Sixth Street. Photo by James Rambin.

It would be pretty hilarious if someone put up a multi-million dollar building without ever thinking about what the weather might do to it, but that’s thankfully not the case for the five-story office project by Endeavor Real Estate Group at 901 East Sixth Street. No, this structure’s steel exterior, designed by a joint venture between architecture firms Delineate Studio and Thoughtbarn, is intended to rust — and that’s exactly what’s happening, even before construction’s finished.

A closer look at the weathering steel exterior panels at 901 East Sixth Street. Photo by James Rambin.

Looking east from the 901 East Sixth Street project.

Well, technically it’s not rust in the traditional “neglected structure falling into disrepair” sense. The metal used for the building’s outer panels is what’s known as Cor-Ten or weathering steel, a type of low-carbon steel alloy specifically designed to oxidize on its surface when exposed to the elements, creating a protective layer that actually protects the metal from further corrosion.

An exterior rendering of the 901 East Sixth Street project shows its weathering steel panels in the fully rusted state they will presumably reach within a few months. Image: Endeavor Real Estate Group

Like the cross-laminated timber used for much of the building’s interior, it’s a material that’s a lot more durable than its appearance might initially suggest — and as far as office buildings go, it’s certainly more interesting than stucco. You can find another striking example of weathering steel architecture at 1111 East 11th Street, a mixed-use office project designed and occupied by architects Bercy Chen Studio LP.

EDIT: My fabulously plugged-in readership reminded me of Austin’s most iconic weathering steel structure — the Pennybacker Bridge! How could I forget that one?

The Pennybacker Bridge over Lake Austin. Image: Geoff Sloan / Flickr

It already appears to be rusting quickly, but architect and Delineate Studio founder Bart Whatley says the steel’s exterior patina will reach its full maturity in about two years time, and that the building itself should be finished by the end of the year. Though the weathering process has only just begun, you’ll be able to watch its progress with this webcam of the project’s construction site — try to convince your friends it’s rusting by accident and we’ll see if we can’t start an urban legend:

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