Wabash Parking Garage
Austin, Texas
The Wabash Parking Garage demonstrates the simple elegance and tectonic clarity that can come from a straightforward design approach to this difficult building type. Its direct and economical use of concrete, lightweight steel, glass and copper creates a strong, clean and honest building image.
This six-level, 574-space garage is located at the edge of a sensitive residential neighborhood. Indirect lighting and diffused lighting through frosted glass were utilized to limit light pollution experienced by adjacent neighborhood. The tight budget required careful consideration for each element.
The solution was to select materials that could address the building requirements while providing the final aesthetic. The poured-in-place, post-tensioned concrete structure is expressed directly. The frosted glass panels diffuse light, fulfill the guardrail requirement, function as visual screens, and break down the utilitarian scale of the concrete structure. The scale is further broken down by the repetitive support clip system used to support the glass, the trellis, and the cable railing. A trellis on the first level provides security and allows jasmine vines to climb the face of the garage. The copper shingles provide a durable, weather-resistant skin for the elevator shaft as well as add a warm splash of color that will patina over time.
Awards: AIA Austin Citation of Honor