Studio Balcones worked in collaboration with the client, architect, and branding team to create a backyard space for Austin’s first permanent Warby Parker store on South Congress.
A glass window wall visually connects the interior and exterior spaces, with the courtyard acting as an intimate retreat for lingering, reading, and staff events. Situated between the historic Continental Club music venue and a popular Italian restaurant, the small site posed its share of challenges that inspired creative design solutions: a deck in one corner accommodates neighboring tree root zones, and border planters full of water-loving species negotiate grade changes and transport water from downspouts to curb. The store’s library concept gets translated to the outdoors in the form of a large, central steel planter showcasing a collection of native succulents and cacti. A custom metal mesh screen encloses the space and infuses it with the fragrance of star jasmine vines.
