Located at the southwest corner of 21st Street and Nueces Street, Torre Apartments stands in the center of West Campus at the University of Texas at Austin. The 18-story tower features 153 units and 558 beds in a variety of configurations ranging from studio spaces to spacious townhome designs. Innovative smart housing and modern amenities, including private terraces, a coffee bar, a rooftop sky deck, and study lounges, provide an elevated student living experience.

The tower’s dynamic, tiered composition arose in response to the specific zoning constraints and program requirements. A 62-degree setback on the north side of the building as well as an even distribution of townhomes and flats informs this layered approach, with each strata representing a shift in program while directly responding to the zoning setback plane.

The ground floor is approached through a sculptural entry canopy that gives way to an open coffee lounge with generous ceiling heights and ample daylight. At the townhome tiers, the corridor was deleted at alternating levels, resulting in maximum rentable square footage and economizing construction costs. The building is crowned with an angular screen that reflects the playfulness of the various indoor/outdoor amenity spaces that inhabit it, which feature stunning downtown views.

Design: Rhode Partners
Developer: Parallel
Interior Design: LEVY
Contractor: Rogers O’Brien
Photography: Jason O’Rear