The goal of the proposed new Student Services Center at the University of Texas, Dallas was to assist in bringing activity and life to the campus, but with modesty consequent on the building’s role and place in an existing campus and comparatively utilitarian program.

We felt the building should express its function as a lively and welcoming building without flashiness that might detract from other campus buildings with different programs and budgets. more

In the Texas climate, where the heat and sun dictate attention to the way in which buildings are cooled, energy efficiency is a high priority. We looked at how the shape of the building could minimize the harshness of the sun and provide shade, not only to users outside, but to the building itself, taking heat-loss off the roof. We talked about using the sun to an advantage, bringing natural light deep into the building through the atrium. We talked about a massing strategy that left little extraneous space that would need to be unnecessarily cooled.

We used the language of architecture—glass, spatial organization, massing, color, and structure—to begin to translate those ideas that came out of our discussions with the client and with our own team. These began to suggest a strategy, a use of glass and color, a use of space and light to create rhythm, energy, and dynamism, offset by a certain sobriety. back

Credits

SCHEDULE
Competition 2008
CLIENT
University of Texas
TEAM
Lead Designer: Bernard Tschumi. Key Personnel: Chris Lee, Francoise Akinosho, Nefeli Chatzimina, Loren Supp, Kim Starr, Joel Rutten, Colin Spoelman, Piyush Bajpai, with Carter Burgess, Dallas back

Program: Educational