Introducing a 24/7 neighborhood

Austin, Texas, has endeavored to revitalize the North Austin neighborhood into a mixed-use district that boosts the city’s vitality. Situated within this emerging commercial and entertainment district and adjacent to a new CapMetro light rail station, Verde Square is an entirely new mixed-use development directly adjacent to Q2 Stadium—the city’s largest sports and entertainment venue and home to Austin’s Major League Soccer team, Austin FC. The project transforms an existing stadium parking lot into a dynamic destination, with offices, residences, hospitality and retail overlooking the stadium. 

Verde Square is set on a six-acre site bisected by Bright Verde Way. Conceived as a 24-7 neighborhood, the project encompasses a residential high-rise to the south, and, to the north, a commercial campus with a 500,000-square-foot office, a headquarters for Austin FC, a 200-key hotel, parking, and a series of retail spaces. At the center, a one-acre, two-level pedestrian plaza, lined with retail and ample green spaces, anchors the district and accentuates a direct connection and line of sight to the stadium.

Gateway to the stadium

Verde Square is designed in dialogue with Q2 Stadium. The plaza design leverages the site’s topography, with a 20-foot elevation change, to enhance views of the stadium. The Garden Level, or upper plaza, descends from the street to the lower Plaza Level, which creates a direct pathway to the stadium. A pair of stairways, alongside a slide painted green—a color that nods to Austin FC’s team—facilitate pedestrian movement between the two plaza levels, and together with the open space, evokes the topography and ecology of the nearby Texas hill country. 

An accessible district, centered on well-being

Verde Square is a case study in realizing the potential of a previously underdeveloped site. Centered on transit, Verde Square is served by Cap Metro’s recently opened McKalla Station, with increased Red Line Service that provides direct access to downtown. Walkability became a primary driver in the design of the district and the orchestration of each of its components. 

Through a comprehensive solar and wind exposure study, the buildings are designed to maximize shading and breeze for cooling to combat Austin’s hot climate. The project also captures, treats, and releases stormwater and features extensive landscaping as part of a holistic sustainability strategy. The result is significant reduction in energy use and an enhancement in health and wellness—key contributors to the project’s LEED Gold certification target.