As part of a team led by Asterisk, Content & Context created a name, message architecture, and interpretive content for Endeavor Real Estate Group’s high-profile Saltillo mixed-use development just east of downtown Austin.
Language That Defines an Energetic New Place
Located on the edge of downtown Austin, this new mixed-use development brought 800 multifamily units, 115,000 square feet of retail, and 150,000 square feet of office space to six contiguous blocks of largely undeveloped land owned by Austin’s Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Our charge was to create a system of messaging that conveyed the project’s promise to potential tenants, surrounding neighborhoods, and the broader Austin community.
The messaging we created uses bold, dynamic language to tie the project to its high-energy surroundings. Specific messages emphasize the project’s transit accessibility and walkability, along with its focus on outdoor living and sustainability. The messaging also emphasizes Saltillo’s connections to the neighborhood, including its multiple public paseos and extensive program of public art.
The Name
Saltillo
Sometimes the best name for a project is also the most obvious. In these cases, our job is to validate the name and then fine-tune and clarify recommendations for its use. Here, we took our cues from the adjacent Plaza Saltillo public space and Plaza Saltillo Station light rail stop and helped the client determine that Saltillo was the right choice.
The Saltillo name is a clear, straightforward approach that honors the neighborhood's history and capitalizes on people's familiarity with the existing plaza's location and legacy.
Applying the messaging
In Saltilllo’s retail and office leasing brochures, the message architecture works together with Asterisk’s energetic design to help the Endeavor team quickly and effectively tell the project’s story to potential tenants.
Interpretive exhibits that celebrate the neighborhood
Using knowledge gained through historical research and discussions with community representatives, we created content for a program of interpretive exhibits that connect Saltillo to its surroundings. The interpretive panels share information about the area’s historic neighborhoods, identify the project’s public art installations, and encourage visitors to learn more by exploring the nearby Tejano Walking Trails.
