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A FLAW IN THE SYSTEM A BATTLE OVER ARCHITECTURE STRIPS THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS OF A SIGNATURE BUILDING

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(ouriny Urtfrtfury of turn w iwnn North elevation of Henog & de Meuran's second scheme for ihe Jock S. Blanton Museum of Art at the University ol Texas at Austin, October 1999.

B Y M A R K G U N D F . R S O N

n November I l WJ, when the Swiss lecture in the university system. Were presented as a grand opportunity. Then- architectural firm of HeiZOg ik de the regents, vested with responsibility to president of the university Robert IMeurcm walked away from its com- act on behalf of the university, out of lierdahl expressed a desire for "a cathe- mission in design the new. S~0 million hand when they disregarded advice dral to the visual arts." To help ensure lack S. Blautou Museum ot Art on the obtained through a process established that this would be the case, a committee University of Texas campus in Austin, it and directed by the university itself? Is a was created to select a suitable archi- sparked a public furor. Students draped professional who stands In his com u. tect. Sitting on the committee would be the School of Architecture in black as a tions inflexible? And is there a point at Jack and Laura lee Wanton; Hal Box, sign of mourning; Lawrence W. Speck, which the regents are obligated — to former dean ot the university's school ol the school's dean, resigned to protest how the university or otherwise — to abstain architecture; Austin Cileeson, chair of I Icr/og & de Meuron had been treated. from decisions they may not he quali- the university's faculty building advisory The controversy was aired in a series of fied to address? To determine the committee; Jessie Otto H i t t , director of stories in the Austin American-Statesman, answers to those and other questions, the museum; John Rishling, associate and nationally, an Architecture magazine one had to return to the beginning. vice-president lor campus planning and editorial derided the University's hoard of facilities management; Charles Roeckle, Regents as a "shortsighted, xenophobic acting dean of the college of tine arts; pack ol \ ahuos." and Lawrence W. Speck, dean ot the school of architecture. Lee Jam.nl ot Indeed, the lacilities Planning and On Icbruary I, 144", the University of Houston, Deedie Rose of Dallas, and Construction Committee «f the Uni- Texas at Austin announced its intention l.issa Wagner of Midland — art and versity's Board of Regents was widely to build a new home for the art collec- museum supporters — were also on the painted as the villain in the affair, and tion tint Archer M. Huntington had committee. James Broaddus, director of for apparent good reason: In the last established at the university in 1427. facilities planning and construction, and meeting between the architects and the Known as the Huntington Art Gallery, Reed Kroloff, editor of Architecture regents' committee, one ol the regents, a the collection had existed for the last .15 magazine ami a UT alumnus, were businessman from Laredo named Tony years in two separate locations on tilt asked to be ex-officio members. Sanchez, had presented his own plan for Austin campus; the new museum build- what the new museum should look like, ing would consolidate the holdings, li Notably missing were any current a plan he'd had drawn up by a home- would also get a new name, in honor of members of the hoard ot regents. Ibis town architect. The representatives of ]ack S. lUanron, a Houston businessman was only the second time in the univer- I ler/og e< de Meuron were taken and former UT Systems regent who sity's recent history that an architect aback, and a month later the architects chairs the Houston I ndowment, a phil- selection committee did not include a tendered their resignation. anthropic foundation that gave $12 mil- regent. Indeed, only on one prior What was unclear, however, was lion as a gift to help initiate the project. project had the regents allowed archi- how things had deteriorated to this The new museum, to be located on tect! to be interviewed without their point, and what the clash over the the university campus at the corner of participation. Still, a regent could Wanton meant for the future of archi- Red River and 2(itll streets, was initially have been invited to join the Blanton Cite 4 7 I 1 n ii II I s p / j n g 35

committee. But after several meetings it between structure and site, to the univer- dialogue is of considerable urban ing architectural and building form is was decided that it would not be neces- sity. It's a quality strongly stressed in the importance, and reflects the two street unavoidable and important. Architecture sary to do so. That decision would prove I'elli master plan grids extant in the center city. has never arisen out of nothing, but later on to have enormous ramifications. I In 1\ Hi plan also made note of Ihe request for qualifications for the there is no longer a mediatory tradition. The committee would recommend a how specific Crcr had been regarding Blanton Museum was issued on This can be seen in the way that contem- ranked list of architects [o ihe univer- the aesthetics of the university, reprint- February 4, 1998. The IK page docu- porary architecture so olteti tries in lab sity's new president, l.arry Faulkner, ing comments he made in his 1933 ment, written by the selection commit- rieare a relationship to historical forms who would then, if the list were Report Accompanying the General Plan tee, stated that the university desired by means ol quotation and with this approved, forward it to UT System <>j Development. "The modern universi "an important work of architecture." practice penetrates no further than the t Ii.IIKi. lldi William ( uuningham. ty has to be, on account of its si/c, a The idea was that the Wanton building surface ot the eve's retina." '

This procedure was an innovation for grouping of several compositions, relat- should "provoke curiosity and inquiry." Ihe selection of the Swiss firm gener the UT System. Still, there was some ed to be sure, bur independent, and The request made reference to the ated a sense of excitement; Jack Wanton precedent: the selection of the architect requiring a certain variety of treatment Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth and expressed a "staggering expectation for for the university's new Austin campus to avoid the monotony and the institu- Ihe Mend Collection in Houston, stat- what we'll have.""1 Anticipated opening master plan had utilized an approach tional character inherent to the repeti- ing that the "integrity and excellence of date was January 2002. similar m that employed in the Wanton tion of similar units," Cret wrote. "The those buildings is a standard we aspire However, signs of trouble surfaced search, A request for qualifications had origin ot the state ol Texas and the to lor the Wanton Museum of Art." in the architects' first meeting with the been issued, open to any architectural proximity of Mexico were an induce- By April, ft.? proposals had been regents. At what was intended as an firm, and a committee authorized by the ment to get some inspiration from the received. The selection committee nar- introduction of their philosophy ami regents made recommendations Irom the Spanish architecture, although a faithful rowed that to seven firms: Her/og frv de work to the regents' Facilities Planning submissions received. Notably, there were archaeological reproduction was neither Mettron of Basel, Switzerland; Steven and Construction Committee, the archi- also no regents on (he committee that advisable nor possible. An academic I loll of New York; Antoine Predock of tects presented their design for the late chose the architects tor the master plan. building of the 20th century ought not Albuquerque; Snohetta ot ( Kin, Norway; Museum in London, a rehabilitation of to attempt to pass for a Spanish palace Thompson and Rose ol Cambridge, The architect that committee settled an enormous industrial complex on the or a Medieval town hall."1 Massachusetts; Rafael Vinoly of New- on in October I 994 was Cesar I'elli and Thames River. This commission had York; and Tod Williams/Billic Tsien and Associates nt New Haven. I'elli complet- UT alumnus Fred Clarke, a partner been won in a competition involving Associates of New York. By mid-May, ed the plan m [494; the Wanton Museum in the linn of Cesar Pelli and hundreds ol architectural lirms world- all seven had made public presentations wonUl be one ol the first projects to be Associates, was principal in drafting the wide, bur Regent Tony Sanchez of designed under its guidelines. The I'elli new master plan. Compliance with the •it tin sj ! ..i architecture. I tirther Laredo seemed to pay little attention to master plan suggested parameters for plan, and its references to context and deliberation narrowed the list of seven the presentation. He was seen talking at building footprints, materials, relation to Cret's aesthetics, would become major to three: Predock, Holl, and Her/og & the rear of the room, and those attend- open space, and pedestrian circulation. It issues in the conflict over the design of de Meuroil. ing described a degree of tension regard- ing the architects. advocated an aesthetic derived Irom the the Blanton. Clarke's position is that the During the next few months the campus buildings by New York architect plan is an "open" document, and that it selection committee visited museums (In July ft, 1999, rhe architects made ( ass Gilbert of the 191 Os and Phila- allows tor a certain flexibility in inter and art-relared facilities designed by the theii tirst ,K ma! presentation toi tin delphia architect Paul Philippe Cret of the pretation and, in special instances, for finalists in order to judge the quality of Wanton to the Facilities Planning and 1930s. Many architects were involved in exceptions to the guidelines. As the I'elli their work firsthand, and also to ask Construction Committee. Herzog cv de planning the University of Texas over the master plan noted, the architectural lan- intensely pragmatic questions ot the Meuron partner Harry (lugger present years, bin Gilbert's master plans of 1909 guage ol Paul Oct's original works was owners. Finally, on December 18, ed the firm's initial concept for rhe and 1914 gave the campus its cardinal, intended as a "point of departure lor I lerzog 6c de Meuron was named as the museum, which digger described as a orthogonal framework and its Spanish- the design of new structures."' committee's choice. This would be the "linn building" and "landscape solu Mediterranean vocabulary. Gilbert's irclmci is lirst museum in tin ( niti d tion." It consisted of a sines of five par- designs tor Battle I l.lll ( |9| I I ,md Sutton States (although they subsequently allel, single-story, flat-roofed limestone Hall (19 IS) are sttll considered para- acquired the commission for the Si20 "bars" intended to respond directly to digms for campus buildings, The universi- 1>\ l-'ebruarj 199N, tin proposed site ol million de Young Museum in San the new campus master plan's sugges- ty's ubiquitous material palette ol lime- the new Wanton Museum had been Francisco). Herzog iN de Meuron had tions for building forms and the integra- stone, bull-colored brick, red roof tiles, moved to the south edge of the UT cam completed the Dominus Winery in tion of open space into the built fabric. anil terra cotra derive from these works. pus in order ro create a tie to the pro- i niinc ille, t alifornia, and in I 997 the The concept opened to the south with a However, ir was the master plan pro- posed Texas State I listory Museum firm had been linalists in the competi- generous porch. Rich watercolor render- duced in 1933 by Paul Cret, that gives across the street. The new gateway site, tion for an addition to the Museum of ings showed the intended marriage ol Modern Art. The recommendation was the university its qualitative and composi- at the intersection of Speedway and roof overhangs with surrounding live approved by President Faulkner and oaks. The volume of rhe building tional character. When Cret was hired to Martin Luther King Boulevard, was Chancellor Cunningham. The regents totaled about 150,000 square feet. prepare a development plan for the cam considered higher profile than the origi- were not required to vote on the choice, Lawrence Speck's first reaction to the pus it consisted of IK buildings. He nal. The 1999 master plan calls for the and they did not. scheme was one of admiration. "I've got designed ten additional buildings and enhancement of the intersection of to say I'm blown away by this scheme," i onsulted "ii another nine. I lis elahoi i Speedwa) and Martin I uther King due Pierre I (erzog and Jacques de Meuron he said. "1 think it's brilliant. I wish I tion of the relationships between campus to its axial alignment with the Capitol are recognized as two of the most out- had thought of something like this." In buildings and open space determined the building to the south (Speedway is the Standing architects in the world. Their the proposed structure Speck found intimate, pedestrian environment that northern extension of Congress Avenue, philosophy regarding tradition as an allusions to the flat-roofed Texas exists today. It is the hierarchy of external on which the Capitol is located). The architectural determinant was expressed Memorial Museum, a Oct building on spaces and human-scaled courtyards that center of the campus and the Capitol in a 1988 lecture by I lerzog, in which he occupy Austin's two highest hills. This the UT campus. give a woven aspect, a reciprocity stated that "the relationship to pre-exist- ift s p i I' n g I 2 II 11 (i f i t e j 7 1

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1 Herzog & de Meuron's first proposal (or the Blonton Museum, July 1999. Two regents objected to the use 1 of flat roots.

Former University of Texas dean of architecture Lawrence Speck resigned to protest how the Blonton Museum's architects hod been treated.

Regents Tony Sanchez, and Rita Clements, however, felt differently. Due overriding complaint concerned the flat roof. (The master plan stipulates thai new buildings use flat roofs "sparingly".) Almost immediately, Sanchez requested that the architects provide additional schemes for consideration. I )e felt "at a big disadvantage" by the lack ol other ideas to compare with, he said, and Her log & de Meuron's Chancellor William Cunningham added second proposal(or the Blonton Museum, October that "we're significantly handicapped 1999. The softly curved tile without having several designs to look roof was controversial. at."3 The regents subcommittee also expressed a desire lor a taller building, in opposition to the architects' desire tor ground-level access to all galleries. The committee didn't reject the con cept they'd heen shown, but ['resident Faulkner did request that I ler/.og cs de Meuroti explore additional concepts. Returning to Switzerland, the architects fd spent the next three months reassessing the project. In late August, Faulkner traveled ro Basel to meet with 1 lerzog & de Meuron in an attempt to reconcile the divergent positions. •^ On October 12, the architects

This study af a three-story returned to make a second presentation. museum wos one of two At this meeting, I'ierre de Meuron and presented to a regents Hairy (lugger presented three models to committee in October 1999 as an example of what not to do. the regents committee. The models were a distillation of at least 14 study models of various programmatic formats and their corresponding built lornis. Iwo of the three models represented studies that the architects intended as examples of what should not be done, while the third was the actual scheme they pro- i posed for the museum. In hindsight, this academic strategy for showing how they had arrived at their proposed concept backfired on the architects. The two studies lor what mil to do consisted of multi-story versions of the museum. One was a three-story building referred to as Waggoner Mall for its resemblance to an existing building on campus; the other was a two-story Herzog & de Meuron's courtyard design that was rectangular in second cautionary example from October 1999 wos this plan with an open, west facing arcade. two-story courtyard study. Hie studies were meant to indicate the (iie 4 7 | i 9 9 9 | s u m m e r 37

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' i / badlj a m i «> r< put in positions thai regents desire involvement, the chair can compromised their professional i n t e g r i t y name t w o regents to ,\n advisory c o m m i t - in a m a n n e r that no t o p - f l i g h t architect tee charged w i t h recommending archi- should tolerate. T h e y took the very tects. T h e remaining members of the unusual step ot resigning this c o m m i s - architect selection committee w i l l he cho- sion because they felt the circumstances sen by the president of the campus where lure precluded their creatin g a great the project is to he built. The task of such Floor plan of Herzog & de Meuron's first design lor the Blanton Museum, showing location of galleries. museum. I. t o o , feel c u r r e n t c i r c u m - a committee will be to recommend about stances prevent my accomplishin g goals four (the number has been left vague) 1 have as dean and violate standards I architects to the regents' facilities plan- ungainly mass of sueh strategies a n d , in o f the earliest campus buildings m o r e have v o w e d to s u p p o r t . 1 resigned ning and construction subcommittee. Tins addition, h o w the c o u r t y a r d t y p o l o g y literally. The architects were not amused because I fell it was the right t h i n g to sub committee, ot w h i c h Clements a m l would require upper-level galleries. In In [he unsolicited advice. I hose in d o on p r i n c i p l e . 1 k n o w it is not fash- Sanchez remain members, is tree to addition, the g r o u n d f l o o r w o u l d have attendance, n o t i n g the look on H a r r y ionable these days to operate on princi ignore those names, ask for new names, s ro r e m a in unfinished u n t i l further fund (nigger's face as he left the k i t c h e n , pre- pie, b u t I still believe in i t . " (Speck has or select any other architect w h o may ing was o b t a i n e d . dicted the w o r s t . agreed to stay on as i.h\]u until the end have responded ro the request tor qualiti In c o n t r a s t . H e r z o g & de M e u r o n ' s o f this year.I cations. No longer could anyone mistake recommended scheme included a softly M l architecture students protested the committe e for an actual architect curved tile r o o f , w i t h clerestories, over publii ly and formed a n< u studt in selection committee. " T h i s addresses a single-story limestone w a l l s in the I he architects were asked to h o l d on organization, " A d v o c a t e s for Innovative flaw in the system," Clements noted fol- masonry v o c a b u l a r y of the c a m p u s . T h e their w o r k , and meetings were held in Campus Architecture, " w i t h the hope lowing the change, "because it contuses low p r o f i l e w o u l d a l l o w for t o p l i g h t i n g Dallas that included bred C l a r k e of they c o u l d influence future policy. the architects... w h e n one committee ol all galleries. Three i n t e r i o r c o u r t - t esar 1'elli and Associates, w h o was The regents appeared unfazed. selects them and another one has jurisdic- yards p r o v i d e d spatial counterpoint . asked !<• i I.II i l \ t l u intentions "I the Though it was estimated that $ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 tion over a p p r o v i n g the p l a n s . " 1 " The architects' i n t e n t i o n in present- campus master plan w i t h regard to con- to $.100,000 had been spent on architec- \ i Mi. t u r n 1 meeting the iegents ing the t r i o ol models was to educate text, Cret, and the c o m p l i a n c e of tural services, Regeni Sanchez said hr was approved new rules that require all the client t h r o u g h use ol a g r a p h i c , Herzog Sc de M e u r o n ' s scheme for a happy w i t h the firm's resignation. "I am future b u i l d i n gs on the A u s t i n campus three-dimensional comparison , h u t Tony museum w i t h an u n d u l a t i n g roof. glad they have made this decision so that to c o n f o r m to the 1999 campus master Sanchez liked the c o u r t y a r d study. President Faulkner a n d Regent Clem- we can get on w i t h the process and select plan. The determinatio n ol what does Rather than see its intrinsic p r o b l e m s , ents visited the f i r m in Basel a second an American architecture f i r m that can and does not " c o n f o r m " is, presumably, he saw s o m e t h i n g that suggested the time in late October to try to resolve the work w i t h us and understand the cultural still up to the regents. • aesthetics he desired, l i e pushed the dispute, but no s o l u t i o n was f o u n d . On significance of the project," he t o ld the architects to agree to pursue that direc- November I d , alter further discussion Daily lr\,m. "We the regents| are going 1. I i-s.ii Pelli a nil Associates, (iiitifms Master 1 tion, hut they refused, emphasizin g the with Taulkner, H e r z o g & de M e u r o n to take whatever time is required to make Plan, l*" ). pp. 22 2 V 2. Ibid., p. (3, design they had created f o l l o w i n g resigned f r o m the project. In a letter to a good decision on the selection of the t. Her/ne, & tie Mi-urim, "flu- Hidden 1 months of study. T h i s refusal to w o r k Taulkner, H a r r y t l u g g e r w r o t e that " w e next architectural t i r m . " ' Geometry ol Nature," (Wilfred W.irig, Anemia vcriags AG. I992>, pp. 142-143. with his preference later led Sanchez to are sure y o u understand that we feel we The quest f o r that next architectura l 4, I.is.i Germany, "Mercurial Surface* Mart. describe the architects as not being Architects' Work," Austin-American Statesman, could not bridge these differences of firm began in February, w i t h the December 18, 1998. "flexible" in dealing w i t h the regents, interpretation and still r e m a in f a i t h f u l announcement by President Taulkner v Mith.iel It.irnes .ind M.iry Ann Roser, "I I Rita I lemeiits. chair of the hoard's to the principles of design that have that a new. a n d "advisory, " search c o m - Regent! Balk ai Muteum Design," Austin American Statesman, |uty ". 1999. Facilities Planning and v .(instruction been the h a l l m a r k of o u r internationa l mittee had been a p p o i n t e d . M a n y of the 6. Mich.u'l H.irnes, "Unuiid 2 «m I I Museum Committee, stated that the concept pre- success to d a t e . .. We do hope that by members of tin- first search c o m m i t t e e Hi-nun; Architects Offer New Huililmi; Optiims," Austin-American Statesman, Octobci I I, 1999, lerred In the architects was, like their our resignation , we have opened the were named to the new one. N o t a b l y , 7. ibid. prior concept, incompatible w i t h the way for a successful resolution to the [IK c o m m i t t e e this t i me i n c l u d ed a pair 8. Avrel Scale, "t ulture Clash," Texas Alcalde, 1-! :IM i • • l-ebi iia i \ 20(H). Lawrence Speck is a campus master plan and other I IT b u i l d - design of the |.u L S. W a n t o n M u s e u m o f regents — Rita Clements and T o n y (enured pnifessnr.ii the university and will remain In S.IIU.PI MI ,iri.liiuv(ure'j faculty, ing designs. Sanchez agreed, r e m a r k i n g o f A r t , and that the b u i l d i n g w i l l Sanchez. In M a r c h , w o r k began on a •<. "Swiss Architects Quit 0 * « Museum that "l haven't seen any undulating roofs become the l a n d m a r k the UT c o m m u n i - new request tor qualifications , and h Dispute," The Daily Texan, Novcmbci I". 1999. h on the master p l a n . " Added Regent ty wishes it to h e . " In a statement, was hoped an architect m i g h t be f o u n d 10. Mary Ann Roser. "Regent! ( antral I'.Liii.inu: Designs," Austin-American Statesman, Donald Kvans, "Isn't it going to be hard President Taulkner said, " W e regret that by summer. The b l a n t o n M u s e u m , o r i g i - lebriuo I I , 2inm. tn see? As I drive d o w n the street ii this partnership w i l l not c o n t i n u e to the u.ilk slated fur a 2 0 0 2 o p e n i n g , was would be nice to see i t . " " successful result that we had m u t u a l l y now projected to be ready no sooner The H e r z o g & de M e u r o n proposal e m isioned. Vi'i continue l" hold the than 2 0 0 3 . was rejected by the c o m m i t t e e , and at firm of H e r z o g & de M e u r o n in the I aulkiter's notice ot a new Itl.mton the end of this second meeting Sanchez highest respect." search committee was given at a February requested th.it the architects f o l l o w h i m The w o r d s were p o l i t e , but the 2 meeting of the board of regent. At that into ati adjacent k i t c h e n . There, unbe- results were n o t . On N o v e m b e r 2 2 , same meeting, the selection process for knownst to the other regents, he pre after serving as dean of the School of architects on University of Texas System seined renderings he had commissione d Architecture for m o r e than seven years, projects was completely revised. The new Irtim ,\i) architect in Laredo. 'The d r a w - Lawrence Speck a n n o u n c ed his resigns process gives total c o n t r ol back to regents ings showed his intentions for the aes tioti. " T h e departure of o u r architects o n any project they may wish to he thetics ol the Blanton M u s e u m , w h i c h was not a simple m a t t e r of personal dif- involved w i t h in the university's 15-eam- he tell should imitate the characteristics ference," he n o t e d . " T h e y were treated pus system. In future projects, should tin-