FOR THE CURIOUS AND CREATIVE
AUSTIN CITY GUIDE
TO DO & SEE
ELLSWORTH KELLY CHAPEL
At Circle & Line, we are a little obsessed with Ellsworth Kelly. His deceptive simplicity, his prismatic color palette, and his nod to the basic foundations of art are a huge inspiration to us. His line drawings of plants also inspire us.
Kelly originally designed the chapel in 1986 for a California vineyard, but the project never came to fruition, and thirty years later the Blanton’s director, Simone Jamille Wicha, was the person instrumental in realizing the project. Kelly’s concept was to create an immersive environment where color, form, and light are harmoniously balanced into one space.
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ELLSWORTH KELLY CHAPEL
At Circle & Line, we are a little obsessed with Ellsworth Kelly. His deceptive simplicity, his prismatic color palette, and his nod to the basic foundations of art are a huge inspiration to us. His line drawings of plants also inspire us.
Kelly originally designed the chapel in 1986 for a California vineyard, but the project never came to fruition, and thirty years later the Blanton’s director, Simone Jamille Wicha, was the person instrumental in realizing the project. Kelly’s concept was to create an immersive environment where color, form, and light are harmoniously balanced into one space.
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BARTON SPRINGS
When enduring weeks on end of triple-digit temperatures during summer, we can’t express enough gratitude for the cold water magic of Barton Springs — it stays a refreshing 70-ish degrees year round. Barton Springs is on every list, but friends, it is not overrated. (Just consider alternative forms of transportation to get there, because the parking lots fill up quickly)
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BARTON SPRINGS
When enduring weeks on end of triple-digit temperatures during summer, we can’t express enough gratitude for the cold water magic of Barton Springs — it stays a refreshing 70-ish degrees year round. Barton Springs is on every list, but friends, it is not overrated. (Just consider alternative forms of transportation to get there, because the parking lots fill up quickly)
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PEASE PARK
Pease Park is an 84-acre park with a walking trail along Shoal Creek. Kingsbury Commons at the southern end of the park was recently renovated and designed by landscape architect Christine Ten Eyke, and features an amazing treehouse observatory. Along the northern part of the trail, the walk goes under limestone cliffs which make it feel a world away from Lamar Boulevard, which is almost directly above it. Our founder and designer Corie Humble lives right next to Pease Park, walks there every day, and never gets tired of it.
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PEASE PARK
Pease Park is an 84-acre park with a walking trail along Shoal Creek. Kingsbury Commons at the southern end of the park was recently renovated and designed by landscape architect Christine Ten Eyke, and features an amazing treehouse observatory. Along the northern part of the trail, the walk goes under limestone cliffs which make it feel a world away from Lamar Boulevard, which is almost directly above it. Our founder and designer Corie Humble lives right next to Pease Park, walks there every day, and never gets tired of it.
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AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Austin Public Library’s central branch was designed by Lake Flato, an Austin architecture firm founded in 1984 with the belief that place should be considered when building, and should use local materials and labor that embody a tactile and modern sensibility.
Overlooking Shoal Creek and Lady Bird Lake, the Austin Central Library is a LEED-certified building with a six-story atrium that lets in natural light to 80% of the occupied space. The rooftop is open for reading and features a butterfly garden. An ideal afternoon for us at Circle & Line is to read inspirational books on the roof, and walk around Lady Bird Lake brainstorming ideas for new designs.
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AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Austin Public Library’s central branch was designed by Lake Flato, an Austin architecture firm founded in 1984 with the belief that place should be considered when building, and should use local materials and labor that embody a tactile and modern sensibility.
Overlooking Shoal Creek and Lady Bird Lake, the Austin Central Library is a LEED-certified building with a six-story atrium that lets in natural light to 80% of the occupied space. The rooftop is open for reading and features a butterfly garden. An ideal afternoon for us at Circle & Line is to read inspirational books on the roof, and walk around Lady Bird Lake brainstorming ideas for new designs.
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TO STAY
THE CARPENTER HOTEL
The Carpenter Hotel was a union hall transformed into a hotel by a creative team comprising Jack Barron, from the Ace Hotel group, and his wife, architect Jen Turner. As Barron explained to Texas Monthly, “the whole point for me with our projects is to create living, breathing places.” Turning a historic building into a place that is vibrant and nourishing for many people is truly magic. Walking the lush, relaxing grounds feels like a vacation, even for those of us who live here. There is a pool, but you can also walk to Barton Springs from the hotel.
At the Circle & Line studio, we host our meetings and annual celebrations at the Carpenter L cafe or on the hotel grounds because it feels relaxing and private, even when twenty other people are around.
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THE CARPENTER HOTEL
The Carpenter Hotel was a union hall transformed into a hotel by a creative team comprising Jack Barron, from the Ace Hotel group, and his wife, architect Jen Turner. As Barron explained to Texas Monthly, “the whole point for me with our projects is to create living, breathing places.” Turning a historic building into a place that is vibrant and nourishing for many people is truly magic. Walking the lush, relaxing grounds feels like a vacation, even for those of us who live here. There is a pool, but you can also walk to Barton Springs from the hotel.
At the Circle & Line studio, we host our meetings and annual celebrations at the Carpenter L cafe or on the hotel grounds because it feels relaxing and private, even when twenty other people are around.
EXPLORE MORE >
