Opened on June 6th, the Confluence is a 13-acre urban forest that intertwines with the base of KPF’s Waterline supertall tower.
The second phase of Austin’s Waterloo Greenway project, the Confluence traces the edges of Waller Creek and passes through Waterline’s backyard before ending at Lady Bird Lake. Set to be the tallest tower in Texas, Waterline was conceived from the outset as a building in dialogue with its waterfront setting and the planned greenway. The podium follows the gentle curve of the creek’s western bank, and the project’s multi-leveled ground plane extends public walkways from the adjacent park directly into the tower’s base.
The Austin American-Statesman reports that the Confluence’s best view is from one of the park’s new bridges facing Waterline—a tower that has become a landmark on Austin’s skyline. Columnist Michael Barnes writes, “From the trail bridge, however, one sees how the base of Waterline merges with the forest below, as if embracing the green with its tendrils. There’s really nothing else quite like it in Austin, or Texas for that matter.” Also set to open this year, Waterline’s retail spaces, restaurants, and outdoor areas will complement the pedestrian zone of the Confluence and offer a new attraction for downtown Austin.
