Abilene | TX

This new home for the university’s performing arts departments encompasses two theaters, a recital hall, classrooms, practice rooms, and faculty offices. The building serves as a gateway, framing the new entrance to the campus and providing a striking visual focal point.

The design is inspired by the spare simplicity of the flat, open West Texas prairie and the contrast between large, dramatic theater volumes and the aggregation of smaller, intimate spaces. A continuous horizontal roof, constructed from repetitive pre-cast concrete T’s, shelters an indoor landscape that seamlessly blends performing, learning, and gathering spaces. The structure creates a cohesive and flexible environment that fosters creativity and community while honoring the expansive, open character of its surrounding landscape.