Houston's River Oaks set for wavy 32-storey office tower O27

A 32-storey office tower with a rippling glass skin is planned for Houston's River Oaks area.

Austin, Texas-based practice STG Design has released renderings for the building, named O27, with completion expected in 2028, according to Dezeen. The developer is Broadview Capital. The proposal puts a curving workplace building into a neighbourhood better known for mansions, museums and high-end shops.

The 520,000-square-foot tower is proposed for a site on Westheimer, just down the street from the River Oaks District, the open-air retail district in Houston, as reported by Connect CRE. Local business coverage has called it a trophy tower, industry shorthand for a top-end office building intended to attract leading rents and tenants, according to the Houston Business Journal. That label matters for readers new to property. It signals how the owner wants the building to be seen.

The form is the hook. Renderings show a nine-storey base that holds parking, with the office tower rising above in an undulating, wave-like shape. Two curving glass walls are divided in the middle by a spine of terraces that runs up the length of the building. The images show glass, planting and balconies stacked in a vertical line.

Look closer and the skin breaks into small parts. The facade is made up of triangular glass panels. The faceted surface catches daylight from different angles, which gives the shimmering effect visible in the images. It is a simple device. Many small flat pieces make one soft curve.

Inside, the plans call for flexible office floors, meaning open layouts that companies can divide to suit different teams, alongside luxury amenities. A rooftop terrace will sit on top of the nine-storey base, giving workers outdoor space without leaving the building. That combination of adaptable floors and shared facilities has become familiar in new office design.

The entrance gets its own treatment. An entrance drive leads under a sculpted ceiling embedded with lights, then into a double-height lobby wrapped in glass. Both spaces were designed by Design ALT + TAB. The idea is arrival by car and on foot feels organised and bright.

There is a local reference behind the curves. Broadview founders Anish and Ashay Bavishi said admiration for Houston's Williams Tower helped inform O27. That earlier tower in the Uptown district, designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, is known for its stepped silhouette and night lighting.

STG Design was founded in 1976. What makes this stand out for a general reader is the contrast. Houston has many straight-sided office blocks. O27 bends.