In 1893, one of the then Texas Governor’s legal firm partners built the James T. Robertson Building in Austin as a general store. A little more than 125 years later, after a few lives as an ‘80s nightclub and start-up homebase, it’s now home to e-commerce company Spreetail, which enlisted Perkins and Will to freshen up the 20,000-square-foot space across three levels.
Hexagonal tiles by Daltile line the all-hands atrium on level 1, beneath Bernhardt poufs and stadium seating by Kentwood Floors. Photography by Casey Dunn.
“We wanted to bring the building to life by respecting its unique architectural fabric, in keeping with modern codes and new design opportunities,” says design director Lina Murillo. Splashes of Spreetail’s signature corporate colors—turquoise, aqua, and coral—define reception, as does a sculpted ceiling. Just past this colorful welcome rises the atrium, what project designer Maddie Meylor calls “the heart of the space, beneath a peaked skylight. The hammocks are a favorite feature!”
A chandelier by ANDlight complements the ample natural light in a second-floor conference room, with carpet by Shaw Contract and task chairs by Bernhardt. Photography by Casey Dunn.
Upstairs, open-plan offices integrate coffee bars, huddle and conference rooms, and central atriums. “The space reflects Spreetail’s pride in company culture and their customers” says Meylor, “and the nature of e-commerce itself.”
An Overhead Door Co. garage door can divide an open office on the second floor, with workstations by Symmetry, Steelcase, and Humanscale, and Herman Miller task chairs on Shaw Contract carpet tiles. Photography by Casey Dunn.Chairs by Sandler Seating and Bernhardt ottomans gather beneath the mezzanine break room’s raw plywood plank ceiling. Photography by Casey Dunn.In the café, custom McFadden lighting illuminates herringbone installations of Ceramic Technics tiles and Bend Goods bar stools. Photography by Casey Dunn.The cheery women’s restroom offers Kohler sinks and faucets below a wall clad in Ann Sacks tiles and West Elm mirrors. Photography by Casey Dunn.
