“Sometimes it’s about the furniture; sometimes it’s about the furnishings; and sometimes it’s about the decorative ceiling — but they don’t divert your eye to too many different places at once. They’re really able to keep the focus and make it interesting.”
— Douglass Alligood, AIA, NOMA
Location Austin
Client 8VC
Architect Michael Hsu Office of Architecture
Design Team Michael Hsu, FAIA, NOMA, Ken Johnson, Chet Morgan, AIA, Erin Hamilton, Julie Klosterman, Claire Levine-Kay, Arielle Shaves
Contractor The Burt Group
Civil Engineer WGI
MEP Engineer AYS Engineering
Structural Engineer Structures
Landscape Architect LandWest Design Group
Waterproofing Consultant Acton Partners
Signage Building Image Group
A 100-plus-year-old bungalow in Austin’s South Congress neighborhood was transformed into headquarters for a venture capital firm. Inspired by the building’s original character, the design incorporates contemporary elements that respect and enhance its heritage. A glazed exterior corner emulates the original screened porch and reorients the entry to the back of the space, allowing for a wraparound plaza connecting the main building to a clubhouse boardroom. The interior layout took cues from the existing chimneys and leaned into dark, warm tones. A careful selection of materials and color-mapped palettes — including walnut wood floors, lime wash paint, wall coverings, plaster arches, and marble finishes — creates a sophisticated study-like atmosphere that is complemented by a mix of vintage and modern luxe furnishings.