It’s no surprise in a city whose motto is “Keep Austin Weird” that a striking downtown building, very fittingly named The Independent, would earn a nickname like “The Jenga Tower”. Perhaps it’s fitting that the architect Erin Nies, whose own M.O. is giving spaces unique identities, played a key role in this distinctive project.
Erin generously shared some time with Ketra to talk about her journey as an architect, insights into the evolving design scene, what she sees on the horizon, and the tricky challenge of balancing Old and New Austin in her work.