The Engineering and Computer Science Building at the University of Texas at Dallas fulfilled particular needs for the school and used multiple expressions of metal to provide an open-spaced building that supports the branding of the university and delivers on sustainable design practices. For the judges of the Metal Architecture Design Awards, it received notice across multiple categories, including interiors, and the defining reason was the variety and comprehensive use of metal. Ultimately, they awarded recognition in the Sustainability category.
The driving force of the Engineering and Computer Science Building at The University of Texas at Dallas was to reveal the inner workings of the building
“I liked it for a number of reasons,” says Lewis McNeel, AIA, associate, Lake|Flato Architects, San Antonio. “You’re seeing many different qualities exposed in metal. It had a lot going on, but it was restrained and crisp, nonetheless.” Charles Bloszies, FAIA, SE, LEED AP, principal, Office of Charles F. Bloszies FAIA Ltd., San Francisco, adds, “A lot of the elements have to do with climate conditions or ventilation. It’s beautifully detailed.”
Photos: Bill Timmerman
An Open Book
For a building that makes so much use of metal, it is a paradox that its defining characteristic is its transparency and openness.
“Because this was primarily a mechanical engineering building,” says Randall Daniel, design architect, SmithGroup, Dallas, “it just made common sense to express that engineering functionality through tectonic architecture, and also capitalize on the building itself as a teaching tool. You see that in some of the exposed systems like the elevators, which are enclosed in glass. And the exhaust systems are visible from the exterior. We’re trying to capitalize on the building as a teaching tool. We’re trying to make it as visible and transparent to the campus as possible. We had a lot of conversations about how to make this building a recruitment tool for the top-tier engineering students and for the faculty.”
Almost everything on the interior is covered in glass. What isn’t encased in glass is revealed in perforated metal. Students can walk down a hallway and be drenched in natural light that is filtering through from the exterior. In most campus buildings, the interior hallways are tunnels that take them from one dark cavern to another. Not so here.
You can walk down the corridor and see into all the spaces,” says Daniel. “That telegraphs to the exterior where we want to get as much daylight in as possible. We also had to be really cognizant that the building is in North Texas, and it’s really hot during the summer. A lot of light is not desirable. So, we had to filter and control that sunlight so it’s nice and indirect. We spent a lot of time applying materials in a way that meets both of those goals.”
Well-Placed Shade
That mix of openness and the need to control heat results in a very active passive design strategy, using perforated metal assemblies on the ends of the building, and building out window surrounds offered greater protection from harsh sunlight while still allowing daylight to filter through. The scrims continue up the façade and fold, framing the façade and capturing a larger exterior terrace.
The scrims themselves become defining and branding elements of the building, which is Ushaped and features a central courtyard. “We were being very strategic about the overall composition of the building,” says Daniel. “It has to play well on all fronts. If it’s only performative or only looks good. If the form is right, but doesn’t perform well. We had to find something that achieved all those goals simultaneously.”
Kovach Building Enclosures, Chandler, Ariz., was responsible for the fabrication and installation of the metal, both exterior and interior. That included not only the perforated scrims used to shade the exterior and aluminum bar gratings to expose interior assemblies, but aluminum flat panels in Slate Gray from Petersen Aluminum Corp., Elk Grove Village, Ill., which use an exposed fastener system. The lap siding on the exterior is picked up on an interior wall.
“We’ve dealt a lot with SmithGroup,” says James Hatch, vice president of preconstruction for Kovach. “We kind of gather where they want to go, and they work great with us. They understand we’re going to respect their design intent.” In a complicated building such as this, with multiple trades competing for work space on a tight job site, a high level of communication and understanding is essential for delivering a sophisticated project.
In this instance, the result is a building that fits the campus aesthetic, serves as a recruiting and branding tool for the university, showcases the engineering and computer science capabilities of the academic environment, and earns a design award. Plus, it does a little more.
“It’s not just for engineering students,” says Daniel. “It’s quickly become a destination.” There’s a 300-seat lecture hall that is used for introductory courses in other disciplines, such as biology, so many students besides engineering and computer students are familiar with the building. “If one thing makes the project successful,” he says, “it’s that students seem to appreciate the space.”
