If you live in Austin, you probably know what summertime means; hitting Barton Springs and Deep Eddy as often as you can, Amy’s Ice Cream on the weekends, and ice-cold porch beers with friends.

As we try our best to stay cool with all the amazing recreational activities, we are also hard at work getting some exciting projects ready for this fall. One of these projects is Fortlandia, which debuted in 2018 and is back this year at the Wildflower Center.

“Our inaugural Fortlandia captured the imaginations of more than 60,000 children and adults, so much so that we decided to bring it back in 2019,” said Patrick Newman, executive director of the Wildflower Center. “This year’s design submissions are exceptional, and we anticipate another fantastic exhibition this coming fall that provides our guests with opportunities to play and interact in our native Texas landscapes.”

We are excited to announce that our proposal "Hidden in Plain Sight" is one of 10 forts selected for the 2019 Fortlandia exhibition coming this October. Take a sneak peek below of our secret hideout in the middle of the Texas Arboretum, which was inspired by our own memories of wonder and excitement when playing games like hide and seek.

"We hoped to create a space that appears to be emerging from the land and unless you take a second look, it could be camouflaged in its surroundings."

— Lindsay Abati, Johanna Spencer, Daniela Valle

Nelsen Partners will be joining forces with American Constructors to build "Hidden in Plain Sight".

On May 22nd we received more exciting news; an email from Donald Miller, Programming & Events Manager for Waller Creek Conservancy announcing that our submission "The Ghost Boat" had been selected as one of the 2019 Creek Show installations!

The Waller Creek Show features Austin's most innovative architects, artists, and designers creating temporary light installations along the creek. The nightly event is open to public to enjoy during the month of November. Last year the event was a great success, attracting more than 50,000 visitors.

To re-connect with the forgotten history of Waller Creek we used our own folk tale to set the scene for things that resonate with Austinites; natural beauty, music and water.

An Austinite traveler of waters, got lost in the beauty of a creek and went missing. To this day, nobody knows his whereabouts, but on a quiet misty morning, you can hear the sound of his paddles dipping into the water and see a ghostly glow in the distance.

Nelsen Partners has teamed-up with Mother Built for the fabrication of "The Ghost Boat".

This November, the show will take place between 9th and 12th Streets along Waller Creek. Make sure you don't miss "The Ghost Boat".  For those who aren’t in Austin, here’s one of our renderings released earlier this June.

Check out all 2019 Waller Creek installations

So, if you’re in Austin and into forts, boats, lights, or just being engaged in our creative community; join us this fall for some fun!