As the first building on the campus, Founders Hall includes all of the components necessary to support an independent learning institution: instructional space both small and large, office space for faculty, academic departments and administration, student and enrollment services, informal gathering spaces, food service, bookstore as well as building support. As the first structure, the building must also establish a compelling precedent for the architecture of the new campus.
The building design responds to two distinct influences: acknowledgement of the past, and anticipation of the future. It was important to the users that the new building reflect the character of Central Texas architectural heritage, and that it should respond to the impact of the hot, dry climate and bright sun. At the same time, the building must also reflect the fact that the new campus will serve as an incubator for dynamic emerging technologies driving the economy in Central Texas, including healthcare/bioscience and defense technology. The building’s architecture is called upon to be expressive of those and other new technologies.
