Albert Hotel / Clayton Korte

Architects: Clayton Korte
Area: 114,500 ft²
Year: 2025
Photography: Chase Daniel, Ray Castro
Lead Architects: Paul Clayton, AIA; George Wilcox, AIA
Architects Team: Travis Greig, AIA; Sydney Steadman, AIA
Design Team: New Waterloo, Melanie Raines
Contractor: Joeris General Contractors
Structural Engineering: Leap!
Civil Engineering: VEI Consulting Engineers
Landscape Architecture: Word + Carr Design Group
MEP Engineering: Cleary Zimmermann
City: Fredericksburg, Texas
Country: United States

Albert Hotel is a boutique hospitality project in downtown Fredericksburg that integrates new construction with a collection of preserved nineteenth- and early twentieth-century buildings historically associated with the Keidel family, early settlers of the town. Designed by Clayton Korte in collaboration with New Waterloo, the hotel occupies a two-acre site and comprises 105 guest rooms alongside dining, wellness, and event facilities. New construction is positioned discreetly behind the historic structures, allowing the established streetscape to remain intact while creating a sense of retreat within the urban block. The architecture draws from regional Hill Country traditions, pairing wood siding with a custom raked stucco finish that responds to light and climate. Landscape design incorporates native plantings and reclaimed materials, reinforcing continuity between the site’s past and its contemporary use while establishing a cohesive hospitality environment grounded in place, craft, and environmental responsiveness.

What inspires me most is the intersection of landscape and structure—how buildings can grow out of the ground as if they belong there, shaped by the sun, the breeze, and the peculiarities of place. Austin, with its limestone cliffs, live oaks, and ever-changing skyline, has always taught me that architecture isn’t just about form or function—it’s about the feeling of the place, its context.

I’m driven by the quiet power of restraint. There’s something beautiful about editing down to the essentials—letting material, light, and proportion do the heavy lifting. I’m drawn to work that balances rugged honesty with moments of delicacy. Something tactile. Something human.
Interview with Paul Clayton and Brian Korte of Clayton Korte

Rather than treating history as a static artifact, Albert Hotel positions heritage as an active framework for contemporary use. The project is rooted in the long-standing relationship between the Keidel family and Fredericksburg, yet it avoids nostalgia by translating that legacy into spatial strategies that prioritize continuity and lived experience. The careful preservation of multiple historic buildings allows the town’s familiar scale and rhythm to remain legible, reinforcing a sense of belonging within the evolving downtown fabric.

The placement of the new hotel volume behind these historic structures is central to the project’s urban strategy. This decision preserves the traditional streetscape while establishing a layered arrival sequence that gradually transitions guests from public town life into a more private interior environment. Movement through the site is intentionally meandering, encouraging moments of pause and discovery as architecture and landscape unfold together.

Programmatically, the hotel is conceived as a collection of interconnected spaces rather than a singular object. Guest accommodations range from communal bunkrooms to suites and a private house, supporting varied modes of occupancy and reinforcing the idea of the hotel as a small neighborhood. Dining venues, wellness facilities, and event spaces are distributed across the property to promote interaction while maintaining a sense of intimacy and retreat.

Material choices further support this restrained and contextually grounded approach. Wood siding and custom raked stucco reference regional building traditions while offering subtle variation in texture and light throughout the day. Deep roof overhangs mitigate the Texas climate, extending shaded walkways and exterior rooms that blur the boundary between inside and outside. Interior environments favor warmth and tactility, emphasizing custom furnishings and layered finishes over overt spectacle.

Landscape design plays an equally formative role in shaping the experience of the hotel. Native grasses, live oaks, and mesquites are integrated with reclaimed materials from the site to create gardens and pathways that temper the density of the program. These outdoor spaces provide continuity between old and new structures while grounding the project firmly within the Hill Country environment. Together, architecture and landscape establish Albert Hotel as a contemporary hospitality destination defined by restraint, craft, and a deep respect for its cultural and environmental context.