Tall & Urban News

HKS and developer Wilson Capital revealed plans in December 2022 for the Wilson Tower, an 80-story high-rise in Austin that plans to benefit from a city rule that allows denser development in certain downtwon areas in exchange for public amenities at street level.

If constructed as planned, the building would be among the tallest residential buildings outside of New York City.  In late January 2023, the City of Austin Design Commission sent the project back to the drawing over concerns around the accessibility and street-friendliness of the building’s proposed public plaza. One commissioner suggested that the lobby could be reduced and that some of the plaza could be devoted to other uses designed to draw pedestrians into the streetscape. 

The commission determined that the project was not in compliance with the city’s Urban Design Guidelines, but are allowing for revisions. The design team and developer were invited to come back with a revised design that addresses the commissioners’ concerns.

Designed by the Austin office of HKS, it would house 450 apartments, from studios to four bedroom penthouses. Suggested at 1,035 feet tall (315.5 meters), the height of the planned tower qualifies it as a supertall. If and when it is complete, the project will be joined by Waterline, an under-construction supertall from Kohn Pedersen Fox.

For more on this story, go to Architects' Newspaper.