In 2023, AfroTech came to Austin and transformed it into a multi-site playground where tech, culture, and community converged. We turned five distinct downtown locations, anchored by “Culture Park”, into one seamless, high-energy experience.

citywide canvas.

Experiential Design
Experiential Production
Logistics & Permitting
B2C Experience

17k+

attendees

5

citywide locations

1

inaugural music festival

context.

Austin set the stage for a truly city-wide conference. In 2023, AfroTech needed to serve a rapidly growing community while honoring the movement’s spirit: access, representation, and celebration for Black professionals in tech. The footprint spanned five venues across downtown, from the reimagined Republic Square, reborn as “Culture Park,” to indoor spaces tailored for content, connection, and commerce. The attendee base was diverse and sophisticated, with six badge types spanning recruiters, founders, engineers, creatives, and emerging talent. The opportunity (and pressure) was to turn Austin’s urban fabric into a cohesive environment that felt intentional, intuitive, and iconic at every step.

the ask.

Design an experience infrastructure that could welcome record attendance, serve six audience types, and still feel personal. AfroTech needed outdoor stages, networking lounges, and a makers market, all stitched together by smart wayfinding and a bold visual language that invited discovery and guided movement. The aim: increase access to opportunity, create more moments of visibility, and make it effortless for attendees to find their people, their next role, and their next big idea.

solution.

We transformed five sites into a unified journey. Republic Square debuted as “Culture Park,” home to opening ceremonies, daytime programming, and a buzzing makers market. Across venues, we built outdoor stages, lounge zones, recruiter-friendly nooks, and content environments that balanced utility with delight. Giant AfroTech letters doubled as photo moments and wayfinding anchors, reinforcing brand cohesion while directing flow. A color-forward design system, legible signage, and intuitive circulation connected every destination so attendees could navigate by instinct, not guesswork. The week culminated with the conference’s first-ever music festival—an exuberant capstone that turned community energy into collective celebration and sent attendees home inspired to build what’s next.

Austin PBS: Austin Media Center Grand Opening

Real Estate Council of Austin: Knockout Night

Country Lab: Mission Winnow for Formula 1 Grand Prix

Still Austin Whiskey Co: Longhorn City Limits Music Lounge

citywide canvas.

17k+

5

1

context.

the ask.

solution.

let’s create an impact together.