Franz speaking at Zak World of Façades Conference.
Waterline in Austin. Credit: Atchain
On June 27, the KPF Senior Associate Principal shared insights into the design of Austin’s first supertall and Texas’ tallest tower.
Overlooking Austin’s Lady Bird Lake, Waterline’s design embraces its surroundings in both form and expression, drawing inspiration from Austin’s natural environment and rich cultural fabric. Waller Creek plays a strong visual role in the tower’s design, with its gentle curve informing the movement of the building’s western elevation. Vegetation weaves through the tower’s architecture, offering dynamic outdoor spaces to residents. Waterline’s mixed-use program not only activates the ground floor with restaurants, retail spaces, and outdoor areas but is also integrated throughout the tower, stacked alongside the residential amenities. Public walkways extend from the adjacent park to the multi-level ground plane, connecting pedestrians to the tower’s surroundings. Located in proximity to Austin’s first light rail station, Waterline offers visitors access to the wider city. Franz discussed how KPF’s design methods enable the tower to respond to its unique context, reflecting the innovative spirit of Austin itself.
The Zak World of Façades conference was the 154th edition globally and the first in Austin, focusing on sustainable innovations and construction challenges related to façade design. Taking place across the street from Waterline at the Hotel Van Zandt, Franz’s presentation began at 1:20 pm. Watch his discussion here.
Learn more about the conference here.