dwg. is an award-winning landscape architecture firm recognized internationally for forward-thinking concepts, meaningful relationships and multi-faceted design expertise. Founded in 2010 in Austin, Texas, dwg. focuses on the urban architectural landscape. Our work fuses urban design principles with architectural form and the natural environment. We work to create innovative solutions that foster authenticity and reveal the culture of each project.
Our designs are environmentally responsive, tactile, modern and artfully composed. We seek clients, projects and project teams that offer unique design opportunities and present challenges that promote creativity. We are passionate about collaboration and transparency and believe that the best projects are born from great, working relationships.
We are leaders in sustainable design, where landscape architecture becomes an integral facet of a project’s infrastructure. Our design process reflects a strong sense of place shaped by the culmination of environment and social expression.
dwg. has the leadership, experience and expertise to provide innovative and distinct design solutions for the urban architectural landscape.
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Located in the heart of downtown Austin, this ground-breaking, adaptive reuse project transformed the previously inaccessible roofs of an existing high rise office building into four world-class, sustainable and innovative green roofs. The largest of the roofs, located on the 15th level, has become a tenant retreat space, offering unprecedented views of the downtown skyline and the nearby Texas State Capitol. As the prime consultant, dwg. led with a keen expertise of asset management, brand awareness and a commitment to design excellence in green roof technology. This LEED Silver Certified project incorporates an AC-condensate harvesting system to irrigate the native, drought-resistant vegetation, which results in a 100% reduction in water use. The project replaced inefficient floodlights with a custom, LED lighting system that was carefully calibrated to match the nearby State Capitol. The project reused the existing pavers as ballast material to protect the waterproofing and secure the insulation. The proximity of, and access to, nature in the workplace is directly related to improved health and reduced stress levels. This building, designed for another era, is now competing with modern and newly built office space in downtown Austin by providing a one-of-a-kind, sustainable amenity.
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dwg. is the landscape architect behind downtown Austin’s recent pocket patio trend. The pocket patio at Royal Blue Grocery, between 6th Street and 7th Street on Congress Avenue was the first of its kind in Austin. Based on precedents in cities like San Francisco and Portland, the Royal Blue pocket patio served as a pilot project to test the process. Made possible by a partnership between City Council Member Chris Riley and the Downtown Austin Alliance, the successful pilot project lead to the revision of Austin’s pocket patio sidewalk ordinance. The new policy, adopted in 2014, allows restaurants to rent parking spaces from the city to build semi-temporary patios for their tenants to enjoy. The pocket patio at 804 Congress marks the second of its kind, and the first to take advantage of the modified patio ordinance. Adjacent to the 804 Congress office building, the patio is associated with a Cafe Medici walk-up window, which has experienced wonderful success since it’s opening early this summer. The 804 patio is twice the size of the Royal Blue patio, and replaced four side-angle parking spots with dynamic seating and dining areas. The rocking chairs were instant favorites for visitors to the pocket patio and you can see people taking advantage of the new outdoor space throughout the work day and evening.
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dwg. is the lead designer and landscape architect behind Fareground at One Eleven Congress, which renovates an existing sunken plaza at a downtown Austin office town. The dramatic makeover, which will result in a dynamic, public outdoor plaza, new lobby space and an adjacent high-end food market offering a variety of gourmet eateries, is currently under construction. The design for the plaza reinvents the space as a park and gathering place open for use to the entire community, with sustainable landscaping, family-friendly features, outdoor seating, an amphitheater for events and an innovative cloudscape water feature. In partnership with owner and architect Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, dwg.’s vision for the project updates the plaza and fills a major void in public open space for this vibrant intersection of downtown Austin. The outdoor element for Fareground at One Eleven redefines the private office plaza into an urban park and civic space. The project resets the traditional language of how an office building communicates with the city and people who interact with it. The landscape design preserves and highlights the existing heritage trees and builds on the ever-increasing blurred line of workplace, recreation space and home in the urban environment. A key design element of the plaza is the cloudscape water feature, which the team anticipates will become an iconic piece of art for downtown Austin. This innovative feature is made up of 12 sculptural stainless steel poles, ranging from 20 feet to 30 feet tall. The poles will emit a cloud-like “fog” at the top, mimicking a cloudscape. All of the water used for the cloudscape will be harvested from AC condensation collected from the building’s system.
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This 16-story luxury, boutique hotel is located in the popular Rainey Street district of downtown Austin. dwg. worked closely with the architect and interior designer to develop landscape plans for the ground floor as well as an amenity terrace on the fourth floor. Features on the ground floor include a valet and restaurant drop off area with custom furnishings and luxurious materials to showcase the hotel’s “jewel box” entrance. The fourth floor terrace connects to the adjacent condominiums and features a dip pool with a sun shelf for tanning, private cabana lounges, an outdoor bar extension of Geraldine’s restaurant, as well as an event stage and a fireplace. The pool deck boasts exceptional views of Lady Bird Lake and downtown Austin.
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This exclusive East Austin social club exemplifies Austin’s unique style. dwg. worked closely with the architect and the interior designer to help modify an existing lumber yard and warehouse and adjacent residential home into a hip, unique, private members-only club and event venue. Paying close attention to detail and material selection, dwg. designed the venue’s exterior courtyard, which is made up of a series of gathering spaces, ideal for events. The courtyard includes several outdoor living areas, a full kitchen and bar, a fire pit, hammocks as well as a spa. Native plantings were used to help enhance the Austin vibe. dwg. also designed the project’s entry sequence. The design repurposed as many materials from the existing site as possible. For example, corrugated roof panels were used as garden wall elements and exterior building cladding. Concrete remnants were utilized and worked into the courtyard design as garden walls. Scraps from the lumberyard were used to create the ceiling on the shade structure in the courtyard. These materials and project details allowed the design to give old, unused buildings new life. The project incorporated many local craftsmen into the design to create custom artistic solutions that are true to the site. The native planting palette reduces water use and maintenance of the courtyard landscape.