Built at a time of transition for downtown Austin, TX, the design of The Whitley has been a catalyst for higher and denser development in the area. Situated near the convention center, this high rise represents a commitment to thoughtful urban design that engages with its surroundings. Generous amenities, attractive design, a wide range of units and engaging street activations all serve to make Whitely a haven, a launchpad and a destination.
With a floorplate covering most of its site, the design team were careful to soften the building’s mass and scale through cutout balconies and approachable materiality. Tactile stonework highlights the corner, and this motif continues up the base of the building to meet the sleeker and more contemporary materials of the building’s higher levels. Flexible street-facing retail and a prime corner restaurant, with covered patio, grace the ground plane. In keeping with an area of high foot traffic, parking is lifted from the street and strategically screened out of view. Targeting young urban professionals, the building is a modern oasis with its large, shaded pool deck and extensive amenities. When built, the building established a new pattern for downtown development that fostered community spaces and a connection to Austin’s cultural fabric.
