When John Ruble of Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners was brought in to design the John Brooks Williams Natural Science and Technology Center–South at St. Edwards University in Austin, Tex., he knew a precast concrete design was the best choice to help the owners achieve the aesthetics they wanted at a price they could afford.
But the owners were not so sure. “They had never done a precast concrete building that wasn’t a parking garage,” Ruble says. So when he proposed a precast concrete design for the new center, they were not convinced that it would look sophisticated enough or fit with the other brick and limestone buildings on the campus. Ruble assured them that not only could precast concrete deliver the texture and scale they wanted for the building but that it would also provide them with greater control and precision over the design in a much more high-performance and durable structure than limestone, which is porous and prone to staining and mildew.
The 55,000 ft² (5100 m²) three-story building includes a dry laboratory and classroom structure linked by a central atrium. The majority of the south side of the enclosure was developed as a precast concrete panel system that features a modular design. To provide further assurances, the precast concrete producer created a series of mock-ups in different colors to help the owner understand what the ultimate facade would look like and to tweak the final design.
“It was critical that the color not be too white,” Ruble says. “In Texas, when the sun is out full force, a white surface can be blinding and powerfully hot.”
They settled on an off-white color that mimics limestone but in a deeper more subdued hue. To add variety to the facade, the projected features were acid washed while the flat sections were sandblasted.
The precast concrete producer designed two forms out of poplar wood to cast all 67 panels. By shifting side rails and top and bottom rails, the precast concrete producer was able to avoid repetition in the pattern, ensuring no two panels were the same.
“The way the planes on the surface have order but are also random is reminiscent of masonry stone work,” Ruble says. The dynamic surface also provides opportunities for a dynamic light and shadow experience throughout the day.
Despite their early worries, the client was thrilled with the final structure, as was Ruble. “Everyone on the team was amazed at the level of character we were able to achieve for the budget,” he says. “It is our favorite precast design so far.” |