BY ANDREW ROUSH IN PROMOTE & PROTECT ON APRIL 23, 2013 AT 4:19 PM
A proposed revamp of the University’s engineering facilities takes another big step forward.
The University’s 430,000-square-foot teaching and research space is meant to create a hub for engineering education, replace 1950s-era classrooms and labs, and spur undergraduate collaboration across engineering fields. Cockrell School of Engineering dean Gregory Fenves says Texas’ continued growth and prosperity will hinge on the breakthroughs he expects from the EERC. He called the building UT’s number one legislative priority, aside from base funding for instruction.
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Last edited by KevinFromTexas; Aug 20, 2014 at 11:08 AM.
WOW.... obviously UT has escaped the grips of the "Campus" plan.... or what ever it was called. Or the Regents are so busy sticking thier noses in other places these builiding slipped thur!
I grabbed a screen cap from the PDF file. One of the renderings for the medical school shows the new engineering building in the overall plan. It's located west of Robert Dedman Drive south of East Dean Keeton Street.
Location: Austin -> San Antonio -> Columbia -> San Antonio -> Chicago -> Austin -> Denver
Posts: 5,303
Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelB
WOW.... obviously UT has escaped the grips of the "Campus" plan.... or what ever it was called. Or the Regents are so busy sticking thier noses in other places these builiding slipped thur!
Or you are simply wrong and the "campus mindset" disappeared awhile ago, as I think is clearly evident w/r/t both this project and the overall medical district as well.
Hey!
Thanks for the response.
Yes, there has been an evolution away from the iron grips of the architectual Masterplan over the last 5 years or so. At the point of the Blanton being built, it was put back into force with an iron fist. It was mostly material based. ( Tile roof, brick color, etc.) The shape of buildings have been shifting more recently, but the materials were still in the same brick color and there was an attempt to "blend" into the original architecture of campe.
This , however, is a major departure.
This is one of the first buildings that does not even pretend to "blend".
I am very happy to see it.!
Location: Austin -> San Antonio -> Columbia -> San Antonio -> Chicago -> Austin -> Denver
Posts: 5,303
Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelB
Hey!
Thanks for the response.
Yes, there has been an evolution away from the iron grips of the architectual Masterplan over the last 5 years or so. At the point of the Blanton being built, it was put back into force with an iron fist. It was mostly material based. ( Tile roof, brick color, etc.) The shape of buildings have been shifting more recently, but the materials were still in the same brick color and there was an attempt to "blend" into the original architecture of campe.
This , however, is a major departure.
This is one of the first buildings that does not even pretend to "blend".
I am very happy to see it.!
What in the world does having cohesive architecture have anything to do with interaction with the neighboring areas??? Who the f cares if all the buildings look the same? The point you've consistently been making in this and other threads is not about the style of building, but about whether the buildings interact with their surrounding area. And honestly, having a cohesive style actually helps the university with branding, so I'm fine with it.
I'm with MichaelB on this one and actually I think what he was trying to say is that he likes the new architecture and the variety but UT has been hard to change. That when they do some bold designs they are reigned back into the traditional Euro/Spanish Mediterranean style. There is a point where that can be overdone and really detracts even from the older original buildings that reflect the time period they were built. The newer buildings trying to mimic the older ones don't really work as well and it becomes redundant. UTs campus will always have its Spanish style look and brand as the heart of the campus will stay as is, but its good to see some contrast and this new building is a great example of what would be a great addition to the University.
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There have been some nice new buildings on campus over the last few years. Just check out Google maps and zoom in and also use the street view. The new Student Activity Center is especially nice. The new BELO Center is pretty nice, and there's the the Hackerman Building, too.
There have been some nice new buildings on campus over the last few years. Just check out Google maps and zoom in and also use the street view. The new Student Activity Center is especially nice. The new BELO Center is pretty nice, and there's the the Hackerman Building, too.
I have been in the interior of each of these buildings and they are quite impressive and without a doubt a departure from the traditional style inside and out.
I have been in the interior of each of these buildings and they are quite impressive and without a doubt a departure from the traditional style inside and out.
Agreed. Was walking past the new SAC last night (on the way to Bass ) and really appreciating the building.
Aug 9, 2013, 2:08pm CDT UT needs to build; hopes donors can do what lawmakers couldn't
Chad Swiatecki
Staff Writer-
Austin Business Journal
University of Texas officials plan to move forward with a new engineering research building that will require the school to raise an extra $95 million that state lawmakers couldn’t deliver.
The $310 million Engineering Education and Research Center remains a high priority for the school and spokesman Gary Susswein said conversations have been ongoing with donors to find ways to cover its cost without state money.
The 430,000-square-foot building is seen as key because UT engineering students have some of the most congested facilities in the country, with 53 students per 1,000 square feet of classroom and research space.
as an alumnus my only problem with departure from the stucco/brick/spanish tiles is boy, it was easy to tell the newer buildings, and they were usually hideous. Hopefully these age better that some of the hideous bombs like RLM or Jester.
The university campuses that I most enjoyed spending time in all had some unifying element. That does not mean the same style of architecture. For example; If all new buildings at UT were required to use the bricks used on the stadium....somewhere on the facade....even just as an accent, then all the new buildings would interact and feel that they are intentionally designed. A "sense of place" is thus created. Paris is unified by its required limestone and height limit and is widely appreciated for its charm. People want to spend time in Paris.
A university campus is an entity within a city; it is a neighborhood. Just like a city skyline is an entity. If a city skyline is chaotic with signage and vastly differing colors where every building is a trophy unto itself, then the vision of the skyline is less pleasing. Imagine if New York allowed signage on skyscrapers....ugh. Time Square is simply not what a university campus needs to be. UT needs to keep creating great architecture that relates to and creates a sense of being on the UT Austin campus. A place of calm and education where every new building simply gives a nod to the history and the place it is built.
The university campuses that I most enjoyed spending time in all had some unifying element. That does not mean the same style of architecture. For example; If all new buildings at UT were required to use the bricks used on the stadium....somewhere on the facade....even just as an accent, then all the new buildings would interact and feel that they are intentionally designed. A "sense of place" is thus created. Paris is unified by its required limestone and height limit and is widely appreciated for its charm. People want to spend time in Paris.
A university campus is an entity within a city; it is a neighborhood. Just like a city skyline is an entity. If a city skyline is chaotic with signage and vastly differing colors where every building is a trophy unto itself, then the vision of the skyline is less pleasing. Imagine if New York allowed signage on skyscrapers....ugh. Time Square is simply not what a university campus needs to be. UT needs to keep creating great architecture that relates to and creates a sense of being on the UT Austin campus. A place of calm and education where every new building simply gives a nod to the history and the place it is built.
Posted: 6:41 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 With no state funding, UT will borrow up to $150 million for engineering center
By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz
American-Statesman Staff
The University of Texas failed to win legislative financing this year to help pay for a new engineering education and research center, its top bricks-and-mortar priority. The university’s governing board on Thursday is expected to approve a fallback plan that would require the campus to bear a larger share of the project’s $310 million cost.
The Austin flagship had asked the Legislature to authorize $95 million in construction bonds for the engineering center. But lawmakers failed to reach agreement on a package of about $2.7 billion in such bonds for public universities during this year’s regular legislative session. And Gov. Rick Perry declined to add construction bonds to lawmakers’ to-do list during three subsequent special sessions.
I walked by the site on Dean Keeton yesterday, and I'm a little confused about where the footprint of this building is - directly to the left of the current Engineering building is a creek (I think it's Waller creek), then San Jacinto street, and then an open field with another creekbed that disappears under Dean Keeton. From the renderings it seems the building may straddle all three of these, so I'm wondering if they plan to close that stretch of San Jacinto?
Thats a damn expensive engineering school/building. $300MM? Wow. Didn't realize we were throwing around that kind of coin on academics. Good to see if it works out. I would have thought $100MM or so.
Updated: 11:40 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013 | Posted: 10:22 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013 GOVERNMENT SPENDING: UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
UT regents approve plan for $310 million engineering building
By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz
American-Statesman Staff
The University of Texas can now proceed with a plan to build a $310 million engineering education and research center.
UT System regents unanimously approved the plan Thursday. Approval had been expected.
The new building, which is scheduled to be completed in December 2017, will replace a cramped and inefficient engineering building constructed a half-century ago.
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