Michael Hsu "breathes new life" into 1890s Austin building for Uptown Sports Club

Texas studio Michael Hsu Office of Architecture has adapted a 130-year-old building in Austin into an all-day restaurant, bar and gathering space where "old world meets new world".

Informed by Argentine Pulperías, Spanish cocktail bars and New Orleans delis, the Uptown Sports Club ushers in a new era for a building in East Austin that was constructed in 1893 by German immigrant Fritz Hot and previously served as a bakery, butcher shop and sports bar.

"This project celebrates a great building and the mythology of an iconic eastside corner while adding a new chapter to its history," Michael Hsu, founder of his eponymous firm, told Dezeen.

"The design complements the existing structure and enlivens it to host the community. The result is the kind of place you want to be – a distinctive vibe with familiar food and drink."

The Uptown Sports Club serves a robust coffee and cocktail menu that pairs with recipes from Austin barbecue pitmaster Aaron Franklin.

The building earned a historic landmark status in 2020, prompting the team to adhere to the Secretary of the Interior's Rehabilitation Standards during the renovation.

The studio meticulously reconstructed various elements using historic photos, including the 1960s hand-painted signage by Joseph Henderson that gives the 2,742-square-foot (254-square metre) restaurant its name.

The studio salvaged the pine flooring and preserved the period door hardware, while subtly updating architectural details like the rectangular plan with a chamfered corner entrance, decorative cornice with a sawtooth brick corbel, segmented brick arches over the windows and doors, window and door trim work, wooden awning and interior woodwork.

The team worked to bring fluidity and accessibility into the plan with smooth transitions between the long bar with a view of the wood-fired grill, open dining space for social interaction, and spacious back patio for an outdoor communal vibe.

"Restoring a 130-year-old building meant balancing structural quirks, historic tax requirements and modern functionality," the team said, noting the spatial challenges of adding kitchen appliances into the small footprint and the accessibility accommodations of the sloping site.

"Adapting the space for all users while preserving its character made this both a complex and rewarding process."

In instances where the original elements could not be preserved, the team brought in reclaimed or salvaged materials that helped maintain the building's heritage and continue the sustainable reuse practices.

Additionally, the studio integrated energy-conserving features like low-VOC finishes, high-performance building systems, low-flow fixtures, and FSC-certified lumber.

"This project reinforced the value of adaptive reuse and the importance of historic preservation in creating spaces that resonate deeply with the community," the team said. "It showcased how thoughtful design can breathe new life into a dormant structure, extending its relevance for future generations."

Michael Hsu Office of Architecture has taken on several restaurant projects nearby in Houston, Texas, including a seafood restaurant inspired by brutalism, a Japanese restaurant with timber screens and an Asian smokehouse converted from a 1940s church.

The photography is by Nick Simonite and Chase Daniel.

Project credits:

Architects: Michael Hsu Office of Architecture
Interior designer: Robinson Rose Studio

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