Texas Tech University, Student Union Building Lubbock, Texas
A facility for students funded completely by students, the building is the result of active student participation during the design process and their desire to participate in decisions about their environment.
Location
Lubbock, Texas
Sector
Education
Service
Architecture
Client
Texas Tech University
Status
Completed
Size
175,000 SF
An exuberant, lively, and energetic building, the facility is the “living room of the campus,” encouraging users to congregate with its assortment of variously scaled spaces. With a 60% increase in traffic flow compared with pre-expansion use, the building enhances opportunities for interaction between members of the campus community.
Complementing the Spanish Renaissance-inspired campus architecture, the union utilizes a prescribed palette of materials in original ways, resulting in a building that melds with the campus fabric while maintaining its own distinctive modern identity.
The “turkey track” fossil-encrusted Texas limestone, from the same quarry as the oldest campus structures, provides accents throughout the building. This distinctive material mimics the traditional, highly ornate portions of the campus’ historic structures in a financially responsible manner.
