Following completion of the RVi team’s Feasibility Study in 2019, the City of Austin is moving forward with the development of a new home for the beloved Dougherty Arts Center. The new facility will be located in Butler Shores Park, less than a mile from the original building, which has reached a state of disrepair. In June 2020, the City selected Studio8 Architects to lead the design for the new facility, keeping much of the same team intact from the 2019 Feasibility Study. RVi is happy to be providing landscape architecture design services for this exciting new landmark along Austin’s waterfront. The Studio8 team also includes the addition of Overland Partners in collaboration on the architectural design and planning, as well as a host of local sub-consultants with deep ties to the Austin community.
The new facility will provide a state-of-the-art venue for the Center to further its mission of supporting emerging through established artists who create, showcase, and experience the arts first hand. The project is currently in the community engagement phase, facilitated by team member Adisa Communications. The new site for the Dougherty Arts Center is situated in a very prominent location along Lady Bird Lake. The design team is partnering with the community in exploring ideas for site design including orientation of the buildings, connection with the outdoor spaces, parking, circulation, and much more. Through the challenges of the pandemic, the team has demonstrated that collaboration and public engagement can be successful with a suite of tools, including outdoor meetings and Zoom paired with the interactive presentation platform Mentimeter.
For more information on the project, to view prior community engagement meetings, and to see site alternatives, visit the City’s website. Stay tuned as this important civic and cultural development continues to take shape!
