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Behind the Scenes at Austin PBS: A Peek into the Thoughtful Interior Design of the Station’s Soulful Spaces

The 45,000-square-foot Austin Media Center showcases innovative hospitality-driven design by Britt Design Group

  • By Amelia Engstrom
  • Photos by Avery Rubeck
  • April 21, 2025
The Green Room at Austin PBS, redesigned by Britt Design Group, features lounge seating, a custom record console, and guitars on display in tribute to Austin’s music culture.
Austin PBS’s new headquarters at the Austin Media Center blends modern design with nods to its broadcast legacy, including Austin City Limits and decades of local programming. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)

The sign that reads “Welcome to the Neighborhood,” a callback to Mister Rogers, greets visitors to the freshly redesigned Austin PBS headquarters. Britt Design Group transformed the facility’s interiors into an adaptive community space to bridge the Austin PBS’s legacy and future innovations. 

In 2022, in honor of its 60th anniversary, the home station for programs like Austin City Limits relocated its headquarters to Austin Community College’s Highland campus and unveiled a 45,000-square-foot Austin Media Center. The center, also the largest 12G facility in the country, includes studios and event space. The nonprofit television station, formerly known as KLRU, operated out of the University of Texas at Austin campus before the move. 

Laura Britt, president and managing principal of Britt Design, said she was most interested in capturing the essence of a forward-thinking and technology-driven Austin Media Center. 

“We wanted to be able to appeal to adults and children and really cross the spectrum in terms of different types of programming that people enjoy from PBS,” Britt said. “Our goal was to give everyone a little something to have a flavor of Austin PBS.”

The lobby of the newly redesigned Austin PBS headquarters features natural light, modular furniture for public events, and a custom sign by local design firm Asterisk
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The lobby of the newly redesigned Austin PBS headquarters features natural light, modular furniture for public events, and a custom sign by local design firm Asterisk. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)
The lobby of the newly redesigned Austin PBS headquarters.
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The lobby of the newly redesigned Austin PBS headquarters. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)
The lobby of the newly redesigned Austin PBS headquarters.
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The lobby of the newly redesigned Austin PBS headquarters. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)
The lobby of the newly redesigned Austin PBS headquarters.
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The lobby of the newly redesigned Austin PBS headquarters. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)

Lobby

Part of the Austin PBS space sits underground with a grand staircase leading visitors to the Media Center. Large overhead windows provide natural light to the lobby and illuminate the custom Austin PBS sign designed by local graphic design firm Asterisk. Monitors line one of the lobby walls to feature announcements, upcoming events and filming schedules to form what is known as the tech tunnel. A hallmark of the lobby is the modular furniture, which can be rearranged to uniquely accommodate gatherings. 

“That area is for the general public, and we want it to be light-filled and bright during the day, with the ability to kind of tone it down at night for evening events,” Britt said.

The Green Room at Austin PBS, redesigned by Britt Design Group, features lounge seating, a custom record console, and guitars on display in tribute to Austin’s music culture.
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The Green Room at Austin PBS. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)
The Green Room at Austin PBS, redesigned by Britt Design Group, features lounge seating, a custom record console, and guitars on display in tribute to Austin’s music culture.
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The Green Room at Austin PBS. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)
The Green Room at Austin PBS, redesigned by Britt Design Group, features lounge seating, a custom record console, and guitars on display in tribute to Austin’s music culture.
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The Green Room at Austin PBS. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)
The Green Room at Austin PBS, redesigned by Britt Design Group, features lounge seating, a custom record console, and guitars on display in tribute to Austin’s music culture.
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The Green Room at Austin PBS. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)

Green Room

The green room bestows a moody preparation area for performers before they hit the stage. In contrast to the open and bright lobby, the Green Room sports darker hues and highlights Austin’s music-centric culture. Hanging guitars and stills from ACL taping adorn the midnight black walls and a copper leaf accent provides texture to the cozy space. When not hosting performers, the green room doubles as a listening room. A custom record console and a curated record collection and JBL speakers await music lovers.

One of the dressing rooms at Austin PBS.
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One of the dressing rooms at Austin PBS. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)
One of the dressing rooms at Austin PBS.
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One of the dressing rooms at Austin PBS. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)

Dressing Rooms

Two dressing rooms, one calling upon ACL’s rock ‘n’ roll history and the other channeling the playfulness of PBS programming, provide a place for performers to get in the zone. 

“This is a way that we were addressing who’s coming on stage,” Britt said. “Is it kind of buttoned up and a little more business-like for the black and white dressing room? Or is it more playful, and more children’s programming oriented? They might use the lighter, brighter, colorful dressing room.”

The archive room at Austin PBS’s new headquarters showcases decades of broadcast history with framed images from Austin City Limits and the station’s early years
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The archive room at Austin PBS’s new headquarters showcases decades of broadcast history with framed images from Austin City Limits and the station’s early years. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)
The space includes custom shelving and workstations for archival staff and visitors.
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The space includes custom shelving and workstations for archival staff and visitors. (Photo by Avery Rubeck)

Archive Room

With six decades of programming, Austin PBS has accumulated vast archives of photos, audiovisuals and hard copy books. A series of custom framings from ACL’s history and KLRU’s 1976 founding hang on the walls of the archive room. Custom shelving units and antique tables support the needs of archival staff handling materials and visitors eager for a look at Austin’s storied history. 

Upcoming events at Austin PBS

The following events welcome the community to celebrate the station’s next chapter and experience their summer programming:

“Thirst for Power” by Mat Hames — May 20 at Austin PBS

Austin PBS will host a screening of “Thirst for Power,” a documentary by filmmaker Mat Hames exploring the global relationship between water and energy. Featuring insights from author and professor Dr. Michael E. Webber, the film highlights how these essential resources are interconnected and the challenges posed by their dependence.

“The American Revolution” by Ken Burns — June 4 at The LBJ Library

Presented by Austin PBS, this special preview event features select excerpts from Ken Burns’ upcoming series “The American Revolution,” set to premiere in November. The screening will be followed by a conversation on how the personal stories and struggles from the era continue to resonate today.

Austin PBS Family Festival — June 7 at Austin PBS

Families are invited to enjoy a morning of music and activities at the 2025 Family Festival, headlined by two-time GRAMMY Award winner Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats. The free event includes meet-and-greets with PBS KIDS characters, hands-on learning activities, free breakfast, and community resource tables—designed for children ages 3 to 8.

Visit austinpbs.org for more information.