At 24th Street and Rio Grande Street in Austin, a 30-story student housing tower with cold-formed steel (CFS) framed exterior panels rises in the heart of the University of Texas West Campus district. Developed by Villas Student Housing and designed by Rhode Partners, the 340,000-square-foot project reflects a new generation of high-density student living, with resort-style amenities, active street-level engagement and a distinctive prefabricated façade.
Behind the design, CFS framing products from Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) member ClarkDietrich, and support from SFIA members The Steel Network and L&W Supply, played a central role. Prefabricated panels and a drift track system allowed crews to build efficiently, reduce labor and deliver a clean, continuous exterior.
ClarkDietrich received the 2025 SFIA Industry Project and Product Honorable Mention in the High Rise category for the 24th & Rio Grande Housing project. The SFIA Awards recognize excellence in the use of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing across design and construction. Jenny Hull of ClarkDietrich submitted the award entry.
Featured image (above): ClarkDietrich supplied cold-formed steel (CFS) framing products for the 24th & Rio Grande Housing project in Austin, Texas.
The 24th & Rio Grande Housing project in Austin, Texas, features cold-formed steel (CFS) prefabricated exterior panels and a drift track attachment system.
ClarkDietrich’s honorable mention was announced during the 2025 SFIA Awards live ceremony and posted online. The SFIA 2025 Industry Project and Product Awards, an annual steel framing industry awards competition, focuses on CFS manufacturing and construction. Designers, manufacturers, distributors and contractors entered a variety of projects in the latest competition.
Design Quality
How did this project use CFS efficiently and what was the value engineering solution?
The 24th & Rio Grande Housing project used a prefabricated CFS panelized system with a drift track attachment method. The project team stacked the panels efficiently to create a robust, seamless outer skin. Prefabrication reduced time and costs while streamlining construction and minimizing on-site labor and material waste. The approach improved overall efficiency and cost performance.
ClarkDietrich pre-cut CFS materials based on panelized shop tickets, which optimized usage and reduced waste at the 24th & Rio Grande Housing project.
The team fabricated framing, sheathing, windows, vents, weatherproofing and EIFS off-site.
The project team stacked the panels efficiently to create a robust, seamless outer skin.
Installation Complexity
Did this project require special methods or conflict resolution?
The prefabricated panelized system required specialized techniques to maintain efficiency and precision during installation. The team developed custom solutions for transportation and installation to address system-specific challenges.
For example, the project team planned panel transport to prevent damage from the shop to the job site.
In addition, lifting and installing the panels required careful engineering to ensure safe, precise handling. The team designed the process so crews could lift and secure each panel while maintaining system integrity. Crews used a crane and monorail system to lift panels into position with precision and control.
The installers also monitored daily weather conditions, especially during high-elevation installation. This attention reduced risks from wind, rain and other environmental factors.
The 24th & Rio Grande Housing project used a prefabricated cold-formed steel (CFS) panelized system with a drift track attachment method.
Crews used a crane and monorail system to lift panels into position with precision and control.
Manufacturing Complexity
Were the materials custom made or were they modified standard pieces?
ClarkDietrich pre-cut CFS materials based on panelized shop tickets. The team organized materials by level to optimize usage and reduce waste. These steps accelerated panel assembly and reduced manufacturing time. Prefabrication improved speed, accuracy and overall quality. It also maximized workflow efficiency within the panel shop.
The project used a comprehensive panelized system. The team fabricated framing, sheathing, windows, vents, weatherproofing and EIFS off-site. This approach improved precision, shortened the schedule and enhanced overall system consistency.
Panel shop precision and seamless installation kept the 24th & Rio Grande Housing project on schedule.
Overall Job Quality
How did the completed system perform in alignment, finish, and overall design intent?
The project turned out nothing short of spectacular.
“Thanks to the precision of the panel shop fabrication and the seamless installation process, the project stayed on schedule, allowing interior trades to begin their work as scheduled,” Hull wrote in the awards entry submission. “This was a key factor in meeting the project’s tight timeline.”
While the design is complex, the quality and consistency of the shop fabrication ensured that every detail was executed to perfection, she wrote.
ClarkDietrich received the 2025 SFIA Industry Project and Product Honorable Mention in the High Rise category for the 24th & Rio Grande Housing project.
24th & Rio Grande Housing, Austin, Texas
24th & Rio Grande Housing
Austin, Texas
Details: 96,200 square feet, 200 tons cold-formed steel (CFS) framing products
PEOPLE
Owner
Villas Student HousingArchitect
Rhode PartnersGeneral Contractor
Rogers-O’Brien ConstructionEngineering Firm
Excel Engineering, Inc.CFS Specialty Subcontractor
Galindo & Boyd
SFIA Industry Project and Product Awards
The 2025 SFIA Industry Project and Product Awards focus on cold-formed steel (CFS) manufacturing and construction. A panel of industry representatives judged all 2025 SFIA Awards entries based on the following criteria:
- Design Quality, such as the efficient and sustainable use of CFS products
- Installation Complexity, focusing on conflict resolution, timeframe challenges, etc.
- Manufacturing Complexity, including custom orders, panelization, special material sourcing and more
- Overall Job Quality, including the quality of alignments, finishes and other attention to detail
- Conversion from Alternative Framing Material, reflecting how steel framing lowered a structure’s weight, or added stories, or helped lower the project’s builders’ risk insurance, etc.
About SFIA
The Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA), a unique organization representing steel mills, coil coaters, stud and connector manufacturers, component fabricators, Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) members, suppliers/distributors, contractors and others, provides members with exclusive access to technical cold-formed steel (CFS) framing services, including CFS certification, environmental product declarations, market data and analysis, technical design guides, specification review services, architectural services, the Steel Framing Learning Portal, the SFIA Awards and more. SFIA is an accredited ANSI Standards Development Organization. Follow SFIA on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Additional Resources
- The Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) Names 13 Recipients of the 2025 Industry Awards
- SFIA Unveils 9 Winners of the 2024 Industry Project Awards
- SFIA Reveals 7 Winners of the 2023 Industry Project Awards in Online Ceremony