Lake|Flato Architects completed a unique space for teachers at the Holdsworth Center in Austin, Texas.

The Holdsworth Center’s Campus on Lake Austin is a first-of its kind facility for Texas’ public-school districts designed to grow the skill, ingenuity and effectiveness of the professionals who educate the state’s 5.5 million students. It was built as a gift for hard working educators who deserve world-class professional development opportunities that rival what CEOs and business executives experience.

Envisioned as a timeless destination that emphasizes a sense of community, the Holdsworth Center is a sustainable campus for leadership and learning designed to grow environmental and communal thriving. The campus sits on 44 acres off the shores of Lake Austin and includes 15 buildings spanning 173,000 square feet. Landscape and buildings come together in world-class amenities that include state-of-the-art classrooms, a 300-personlecture space, an open-air amphitheater, walking trails and recreation areas, 186 rooms for overnight stays, and a two-story dock classroom. This living-learning programming thoughtfully connects visitors to the native landscape and neighboring Lake Austin in a healthy, sustainable, and resilient campus setting. When not in use by educators, the Campus serves as a private event and all-in-one meeting space for rental with proceeds supporting the Center’s mission.

The Holdsworth Center’s design was informed by the belief that teachers are deserving of a healthy setting that supports reflection, connection and growth for professional development and for the benefit of the next generation.

Design: Lake|Flato Architects
Design Team: David Lake Chris Krajcer, Daniel Mowery, Justin Garrison, Margaux Palmer, Clay Cottingham, Abheek Sarkar, Matthew Morris, Graham Beach, Casey Nelson, Cole Major, Heather Holdridge, Daniel Lazarine, Anne Herndon, Jaechang Ko, Zeke Jones
Interior Designer: Looney & Associates
Landscape Architects: Ten Eyck Landscape Architects
Contractor: Beck Group
Photography: Peter Molick, Casey Dunn