Starlight

Starlight is a 5-story urban infill apartment project located in East Austin featuring studios, one and two-bedroom apartments along with townhome units. The project’s guiding design principles reflect the midcentury modernism that defines the iconic resort style of Palm Springs. The project achieves this by using minimal exterior materials and integrating the midcentury modern design languages into a contemporary package using brick screens, recessed balconies, and exterior breezeways and patios. Starlight’s interiors mirror this design intent with custom millwork, a robust art program, plush furnishing, and sculptural fireplaces. Indoor and outdoor amenity spaces are designed to blend together with open layouts and desert landscaping in the pool deck, cabanas, and sky lounges.

Central to Starlight’s program is the unit mix to accommodate multiple price points for units to ensure affordable, standard, and premium apartments. The significant difference between these unit types is not related to square footage or layout but to the level of finish, ensuring that all unit variations have the same livability while providing the required price points for the market.

The project's material palette comprises sustainably sourced wood floors, recycled nylon carpet, and locally sourced clay, porcelain, and ceramic tiles. In addition, multiple product manufacturers used throughout the exterior and interior materials partake in carbon offsetting initiatives. A classic Knoll textile by Ross Littell was recycled and reused throughout the project's interiors. Standard-size CMU brick is used throughout the exterior and interior, providing a cost-effective material while working within the challenge of modernizing the material within the mid-century design language.

This project won an IIDA TX/OK Award for residential interiors in 2024.