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Texas Capitol Complex
from HOK Statehouse Qualifications
by HOK
Austin, Texas
SIZE
525,000 sq. ft. / 48,770 sq. m.
COMPLETION DATE
Estimated 2025 SERVICES
Architecture, Engineering, Experience Design, Interiors, Landscape Architecture, Lighting Design, Planning + Urban Design, Sustainable Design
On behalf of the Texas Facilities Commission, the Texas Capitol Complex Master Plan was completed in 2016 and reimagines the Capitol Complex as a destination that centralizes all state agencies and creates a civic core in downtown Austin through the creation of grand civic spaces, pedestrian friendly streets and improved connections to the surrounding community.
The Texas Facilities Commission selected HOK to design and implement the second phase of the Capitol Complex build out, which includes two new State Office buildings – one 10-story building totaling 360,000 sf, and one five-story building totaling 165,000 sf – above-ground and underground parking to accommodate 2,550 cars, and a new greenway/extension of the existing pedestrian mall. HOK is also tasked with ensuring compliance with the master plan and uniformity in the overall character of the Capitol district.
The design for Phase II is intended to create a dignified, flexible and modern workplace setting for State employees while also promoting their mobility, health and wellness through robust and welcoming exterior spaces and integration of nature into the building interiors. A social hub for employees will feature a glass façade that floods the space with natural light and overlooks the new greenway. As the complex provides for both office space for state agencies and a child care facility, Phase II included a careful approach to the utmost security and protective measures to provide a safe and secure workplace for the Capitol workers and their families.
The new, publicly accessible Mall extension/ greenway with include a pavilion with flexible space for dining or small events and an active lawn to hold fitness opportunities. Plazas, shade trees, outdoor dining, planters with integrated seating and public art are woven throughout the new landscape.
Several culturally significant buildings are found along the expanded mall, including the Texas State History Museum, run by the State
Preservation Board; the Chancery, owned by the Catholic Diocese of Austin; and the historic Gethsemane Lutheran Church, operated by the Texas Historical Commission. As such, Phase II of the Capitol Complex requires careful sensitivity to the design, stability and continued operation of these historically significant buildings and a close relationship with their stakeholders and operators.
The landscape design for Phase II provides for a historic garden and native-plants church garden in the perimeter areas. These gardens will preserve the contemplative nature of these spaces while also visually integrating them into the new greenway.