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Watkins Office Building
Situated within the historic square of downtown Georgetown, Texas, this respectfully constrained project exudes warmth and depth, inviting pedestrians deeper into the historic block. Even within a four-sided ‘box,’ we seek ways to bring the inside out and the outside in, overcoming challenges to create a harmonious blend of interior and exterior spaces.
Project team
Gary Wang, AIA, Principal Architect
Zicheng Xu
Sonam Tsering
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MJ Structures, Structural Engineer
Steger Bizzell, Civil Engineer
Bay + Associates, MEP
Leonid Furmansky, Photographer
Our design prioritizes fluid circulation, guiding visitors seamlessly through both spaces within the building while maximizing natural light.
The site originally required the structure to refer to the adjacent historic Grace Church c. 1881. , but instead we proposed to set the building back and create a pedestrian promenade between the two. This allows for the church to stand tall and proud, and for the new structure to be freestanding, dignified and quiet.
In recent times, brick has often been reduced to uses it was never intended for, with ‘thin brick’ becoming ubiquitous over the past several decades. This project aimed to restore brick to its fullest expression, designing and building it so that not one brick was cut short.
We provided a contemporary building that straddles its historical context: an all-brick structure that communicates the thickness of modular brick. By choosing burnt brick as the material and ensuring that no bricks were cut during construction, we developed a form that fully explores the possibilities of its material character.
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