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Designated Tree introduces Green Square, a landmark, master-planned commercial green development designed for those who appreciate the difference. Combining thoughtful building practices, sustainable resources, energy efficiency, and environmental stewardship, Green Square will set a new standard of excellence, build a community of like-minded innovators, and create a lasting legacy.

Seven buildings with more than 130,000 total square feet comprise Green Square. The 13-acre site, located off Greenhill Drive in Round Rock, Texas, was home for many years to cotton fields. And just like the cotton farmers before, Green Square will make the best use of the land to cultivate a fresh development that benefits not just the user, but the environment as well.

Aerial View

Green Square’s vision has been influenced by a number of factors that come together to meet a common goal: to create a sustainable and aesthetically pleasing work environment. A priority of Green Square is to “bring the outside in” and provide a connection to the outdoor environment from every location. The planning team carefully studied the relationship of the site’s open spaces to each of the seven buildings and created a thoughtful plan that incorporates a series of courtyards and other inviting outdoor spaces.

Water also plays a key role in Green Square’s design. A series of aboveground canals (acequias) and smaller, free-flowing tributaries weave through the courtyards, providing a restful and renewing connection to the outdoors and reflecting the sustainable designs of Green Square.

Green Square: 7 architecturally unique buildings

• Landmark development incorporates local and regional building materials
• Thoughtful design makes best use of open space
• Natural lighting fosters productivity
• Green building practices create a safe environment for workers
• Energy-efficient design reduces operational costs and offers tax credit
• Environmentally friendly building reduces construction waste
• Innovative landscaping creates inviting outdoor spaces
• Open courtyards feature running water and volleyball court
• First commercial LEED building in Round Rock sets the standard
• Surface drainage through central courtyard irrigates plants and minimizes site disturbance
• Ample parking (1:200 parking ratio)
• Nearby restaurants, hospitals, retail, and more

Each of Green Square’s seven buildings maintains a distinct aesthetic, but all follow these specific guiding concepts to create a cohesive and creative development:

Imagery – The concepts for the buildings were derived from symbolic structures in the Texas landscape, which create a common foundation for each building’s design.

Color – The buildings make careful use of color to create a complementary palette within the development.

Orientation – Each building is precisely oriented to make the best use of space from both a functional and aesthetic perspective, offering a perfect balance between the offices, outdoor spaces, and parking areas.

Shading – Green Square will make careful use of sunshades and landscaping as attractive details that can reduce the energy consumed by each building.

Materials – Native materials such as stone, wood, and brick will be used to enhance the appearance of each building. Green Square will also use materials that consider the needs of the site, as well the environment (e.g., solid wall systems that reduce the need for inefficient insulation).

Tree House

Tree House sits across the courtyard from Building 5 and is influenced primarily by its imagery and material composition. The building derives its name from the large volume that sits elevated on pilotis (much like a tree house). The main volume, or backbone, of the building is stone clad. The last volume, with its serrated roof, consists mostly of glass and provides a visual and tactile juxtaposition to the other volumes.

Several compelling elements of Tree House reflect Green Square’s human-based design. A covered outdoor patio underneath the elevated volume will serve as a transitional space to the main courtyard. The patio also will work in conjunction with trellises and arbors to establish varying levels of shelter and beauty.

Silo

Building 2 derives its imagery from the silos found throughout the South and Midwest. At first glance, the two prominent elements of Building 2 are the round volumes on the front and back of the building. Each serves two very different functions. The round tower component on the front of the building serves as not only the entry point for the building, but also serves as the focal entry point for the entire site. The element on the back of the building functions as a visual link to the large courtyard that it borders. On the roof, a clerestory connects both elements together and serves as the terminus of the double height space below it.

Water Tower

Building 3 was designed to provide tenants with separate entrances and access. The building features a covered outdoor walkway, which links all of the units together. It incorporates a large round volume (evoking water tower imagery), which will house the elevator and stair and provide additional unique space. Water Tower also utilizes a serrated roof to further distinguish the individual units. The roofs converge to a point on the south side of the building to provide sun control and a fresh building aesthetic. The overall building works in conjunction with the Silo building to create a nice outdoor setting for a grove of trees. The tower on the end is the focal point for the large outdoor meadow area.

Windmill

Building 4 is the most unique structure at Green Square from a massing perspective. It is named Windmill for its three volumes that curve along a common radius and step down in size. The building also features crisp, clean lines, which provide a perceived movement of wind and speed, and roof elements similar in design to the blades of a windmill. Windmill forms the backdrop for the meadow, which spills out from the east side of the property. Inside, the building provides various shading devices for sun control and a spacious arcade that provides access to landscaped areas outdoors.

Armadillo

Building 5 epitomizes “green” building, in more ways than one. It will be built according to LEED green building standards (and will strive for a LEED silver rating). It will be shrouded with arbors, trellises, and green screens, which will allow various species of planting to grow on the building. Over time, the color of the building will change with the varieties of plants and the seasons.

Building 5 also brings the outside in, giving occupants many visual connections to the open environment surrounding them. The north end of the building is split into three separate volumes, and the spaces between them form courtyards. Double-height windows in the offices let in ample sunshine and reflect the changing light levels outside.

Steel Bridge

The last and largest building on the site is Steel Bridge. This 30,000-square-foot building incorporates impressive structural elements and features a large outdoor walkway comprised of exposed steel members. The building features two distinct volumes “bridged” by the steel walkway and incorporates smaller glass volumes to provide elements closer to human scale. The building is large enough to accommodate multiple tenants, but would also work well for a single tenant. The overall building relates to the site by serving as the backdrop to the large central plaza.

Barn

The design concept behind Building 7 builds on imagery of one of Texas’ most treasured buildings – the barn. The main structure is a two-story, barn-shaped building. Smaller buildings are attached to the main volume, which serves to add square footage while providing a more residential scale to the project. The roofs are split to provide relief in the scale of the overall building form. The building also features two large canopies on either side; one serves to provide covered entry from the parking lot, while the other creates a covered patio from which occupants can enjoy the outdoors.