ASLA Texas Chapter Merit Award

Rising out of the prairie, the 65-acre campus for IBM’s seven building, 1.2 million-square-foot, corporate center in Austin, Texas is divided into three zones, each with a distinct and resonant character. To the south of the campus core, parking courts are characterized by the use of cedar rows, some of which insert themselves in the northern fringe, creating a campus continuity. As an indigenous plant strongly associated with the region and its culture, the cedar invokes the vernacular.

The northern fringe is a beautiful wildflower meadow that dances with light and color while changing constantly throughout the year. Native grasses and forbes lend a rich regional identity to IBM’s Austin campus.

In contrast, in the center of the campus, the architecture and landscape unite to create a more formal and ordered environment. Buildings sharing a common architecture are located on a north-south grid and linked by an arcade. The grid is carried through the landscape in the form of bosques, promenades, and cross walks, thereby reinforcing the simplicity of the architecture and crating a memorable campus identity. Cloister-like garden courts are designed with single species of trees, minimal groundcover, and evergreen shrub bars, creating flexible outdoor spaces for employees and visitors to enjoy.