Based in Austin, Texas, Mark works with architects and project teams throughout Central Texas, bringing local insight to architectural glass, glazing, and building-envelope design.
From San Antonio to Austin’s evolving skyline to the region’s education, commercial, and advanced manufacturing projects, Mark’s experience provides a valuable perspective on the city’s changing built environment.
How long have you been in the industry / been with PGP?
I’ve been with PGP since 2017, working as an Architectural Design Consultant and representing Viracon in the Austin and San Antonio markets. Over that time, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside some incredibly talented architects, contractors and glazing professionals on projects throughout Central Texas.
When you first started in the industry, what surprised you the most?
Probably how much goes into a piece of glass before it ever becomes part of a building. From the outside, people tend to think of glass as simply a design choice. Once you’re in the industry, you realize how many competing demands architects are balancing—energy performance, aesthetics, reflectivity, bird-friendly design, constructability, codes and, increasingly, sustainability.
But what really hooked me was something I recognized from my previous career in the film industry. As a designer, I always loved working with cinematographers and photographers and watching the ways they manipulated light. I quickly realized architects were doing much the same thing with the glass and systems they chose for their buildings—using reflection, transparency, color and light as part of the design. I was immediately hooked.
What city do you call home, and what makes its architecture distinctive?
I call the Austin area home. What makes Austin interesting architecturally is that it has never really had one defining style. You have the Texas Capitol and historic buildings downtown, mid-century residential architecture, the limestone and Hill Country influence, and now a skyline filled with ambitious contemporary towers. Somehow all of those different Austins exist at the same time.
What has been the biggest change you've seen in Austin?
The scale. Austin hasn't simply grown—it has changed categories. Projects that would have seemed enormous here 15 or 20 years ago are now part of the normal conversation. The skyline has become dramatically denser and more vertical, and the design expectations have grown along with it. The challenge now is continuing that growth without losing the things that made Austin distinctive in the first place.
What building best represents the character of Austin?
It would have to be the Texas Capitol. It's not just an Austin landmark; its presence has literally shaped the city around it. The protected Capitol view corridors have influenced what can be built and where, so even as Austin's skyline has changed dramatically, the Capitol remains a defining part of it.
What's your favorite building in Austin?
That changes all the time. Honestly, some of my favorites were developed all the way through design development and never made it across the finish line. They still stand in my memory for what they would have been. That's one of the fascinating things about working in architecture—you sometimes get to know buildings that the rest of the world will never see.
What is your favorite view of the city skyline?
There are a few spots, like Southwest Parkway, where you can see all of downtown from a distance while you're still surrounded by the trees and landscape of the Hill Country. But my favorite is probably Zilker Park. It's this great open space with people, dogs and activity everywhere, and the city skyline sitting right in front of you. That contrast feels very Austin to me.
What is one architectural landmark every visitor to Austin should experience?
I'd say the Willie Nelson statue outside ACL Live and the W Hotel just before a taping. The tour buses are usually parked outside, people are arriving for the show, and there's this energy around the whole block. It may not be an architectural landmark in the traditional sense, but that combination of music, people and the city around it really captures Austin for me.
Favorite taco or Mexican food spot?
El Patio on Guadalupe. I'm a sucker for old-school joints, and this one hits just right every time.
Most memorable project you've worked on
It's hard to pick one because different projects stay with me for completely different reasons. Some have changed the Austin skyline forever. Others I remember because of the tiniest detail—something most people will walk past a thousand times without ever noticing, but the design architect and I know exactly how much thought went into getting it right.
That's probably what I enjoy most about this work: sometimes you help shape a skyline, and sometimes you help perfect three inches of a building. Both can be equally satisfying.
Planning an upcoming project? Contact Mark to discuss architectural glass, glazing systems, and specialty building-product solutions. From product selection and budgeting through procurement and installation, Mark provides knowledgeable, responsive assistance throughout the project.
Connect with Mark on LinkedIn or email mcarter@pgp-usa.com to start a conversation.
