816 Congress

816 Congress was repositioned as a hospitality-driven office asset in the heart of downtown Austin, just a few blocks from the Texas State Capitol. Led by IA Interior Architects for Regent Properties, the renovation transformed a dated 1983 tower into a more welcoming, experience-focused workplace with stronger indoor-outdoor connections, upgraded amenities, and a more locally grounded Austin identity.  A key branding change included a new logo and renaming the amenity space to “Waterloo Lounge,” referencing historical Austin’s original name. 

BIG's signage scope extended across both the exterior and interior of the building, with the challenge centered on upgrading the property's identity without disrupting the character of the existing architecture. The signage needed to support tenant identity and wayfinding while fitting a highly visible, historically sensitive downtown context.

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Building Image Group was hand-picked to support the 816 Congress Repositioning project and served as a subcontractor to Rand Construction. Working closely with Interior Architects, BIG helped translate the design intent into a coordinated signage program that supported the building's refreshed identity from the exterior arrival experience through the interior amenity spaces.

The scope included the design, fabrication, and installation of a multi-tenant illuminated monument sign for a prominent Congress Avenue address. Because of the building's location and historic context, the sign needed to feel substantial without overpowering the architecture or streetscape. BIG also fabricated and installed new interior branding and wayfinding elements, including on delicate plaster walls, ADA signage, and tenant and amenity wayfinding throughout the building.  

By balancing precision fabrication, material sensitivity, and architectural coordination, BIG helped deliver a signage package that reinforced the building's new hospitality-forward identity while respecting the character of the original structure.

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The signage program required a layered mix of exterior and interior elements that had to feel cohesive across different materials and applications. Additional challenges included:

• Engineering the exterior monument sign within limited courtyard space, avoiding landscaping and subsurface requirements for a new ground-level restaurant.
• Presenting the signage package to the City of Austin Historical Landmark Commission for approval.
• Removing existing signage with minimal visible damage from a historical granite façade.
• Adapting refined branding details for installation on challenging hand-troweled plaster surfaces.
• Translating a refined design concept into a manufacturable, code-conscious final product.

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