Photos show Texas's tallest skyscraper nearing completion in Austin
The supertall Waterline skyscraper, designed by US studio KPF to be the tallest in Texas, has been photographed nearing completion, with much of the structural work and facade in place.
Having topped out in August, Waterline has reached its full height of 1,025 feet (312 meters), making it both a supertall skyscraper and the tallest building in the state of Texas.
It takes the title of Texas's tallest building from IM Pei's JPMorgan Chase Tower in Houston by just over 20 feet.
KPF designed Waterline as a tower perched on top of a podium, sloping away from the river. The completed form appears to adhere closely to initial renderings.
It is Austin's first official supertall skyscraper, though some accounts list this as Gensler's recently completed 865-foot-tall (264 metres) Sixth and Guadalupe skyscraper, which held the title of tallest in the city for a few months before being surpassed by Waterline.
The tower portion of Waterline narrows as it rises, with two visible shifts, one at the podium level and another higher up, marked by massive exposed perimeter columns surrounding a recessed envelope. These structural columns are also present at ground level and at the top.
Different portions of the mixed-use tower align with these visible breaks. Luxury residences will fill the top portion, with offices, a 1 Hotel and retail spread throughout the lower portions.
At the podium level, a smaller building sits on the elbow-shaped deck, adjacent to the tower, offering egress to the amenities on the rooftop.
"The mixed-use nature of the project lends itself to the stacked and striated design that rises up the tower as it leans away from the water," said KPF of the project.
"This movement is enhanced by the primarily horizontal facade expression, which is modulated by a series of vertical elements."
The building's developers, Lincoln Property Company, said that the building has reshaped the skyline, emphasising its connection to the public programmes on the adjacent riverfront.
"Waterline has already remade the Austin skyline, but the project’s transformational impact on this area of downtown will be just as significant when the building opens in 2026," said Lincoln executive vice president Seth Johnston.
"Seamlessly integrated with Waller Creek, Waterloo Greenway and the hike-and-bike trail around Lady Bird Lake, Waterline will quickly become a top downtown destination and activity center."
The project marks a huge wave of development in Austin and the surrounding area, including a massive gigafactory for the automotive company Tesla.
However, some pushback on the flurry of skyscraper construction in the city has led to reductions in size, as was the case for a HKS-designed skyscraper, which had to be scaled down by nearly half upon review.
The top photo is by Aaron Fedor. All photos courtesy of KPF.
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