From
the Seattle Public Library by Rem Koolhaus to the Scottish Parliament
by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue in Glasgow, Scotland, public
spaces are enjoying a design renaissance. Austin's new City Hall, by
lead architect Antoine Predock, is one of the best new examples. Its
widely praised, angular design stands in sharp contrast to the
unadventurous corporate buildings all around it -- especially with
features like a 40-foot "armadillo tail" jutting from its façade. Far
from being an anomaly on the Austin cityscape, however, the building is
said to express a unique feeling of "Austin-ness."
Together with local partners
Cotera + Reed Architects, Predock specified massive Leuders limestone
walls, terraces, and footbridges to echo the region's hilly terrain and
"balcone" overhangs. His design also features copper panels - including
metal ceilings from Hunter Douglas - that make reference to the city's
landmark 360 bridge, as well as suggesting the hot Texas sun. Even the
building's unusual shape has been said to capture "mythic Austin - its
rugged terrain,
its high-tech orientation... and most especially, its informal motto: "Keep Austin Weird." More > |
