Overview
When Cambridge Tower was completed in 1964, it presented a modern, 15 story residential condominium with offices on the ground floor directly adjacent to The University of Texas at Austin. More than 50 years later, the ground floor offices were a warren of small rooms, lay-in tile ceilings and permanently closed mini-blinds.
The space was stripped back, exposing the building’s robust concrete frame alongside notations from the original construction and markings from subsequent renovations. A sound-absorbing Tectum ceiling covers the myriad existing valves and mechanical equipment. This lower service zone creates a smaller scale, intimate atmosphere in the conference room, kitchen, and storage areas and stops short in the open office to reveal the only unadultered portion of the concrete slab above. The existing windows wrap the west and south sides of the working area and foster a strong connection to the street.
A European-cut White Oak floor and rift sawn White Oak cabinets and screens soften the raw concrete frame. Unfinished cork, burlap-wrapped Homasote and mill-finished steel complete the material palette, highlighting the inherent beauty of simple materials. The material qualities of the space, enhanced by changing natural light throughout the day, establish a tranquil but dynamic environment conducive to collaboration, creativity, and productivity. The ensemble of materials serves as a touchstone to a firm ethos of creativity and interest in the serendipitous and tangible quality of raw materials.
Interior Design: Alterstudio
Photography: Casey Dunn
Awards
- 2019 AIA Institute Honor Award for Interior Architecture
- 2017 AIA Austin Design Award
- 2017 IIDA Excellence in Design Award
