Tarleton State University
Campus Welcome Center

Stephenville, Texas

A key goal of the new welcome center was to capture Tarleton State’s long history in the Stephenville area. The Welcome Center’s porches, plazas and wide walks stretch out into the site and campus, broadening the effective space of the building. Existing mature trees were maintained, and new tiered landscaping was added to provide a welcoming feel and shaded areas. The new monumental sign at the corner of Mclhaney and Washington streets was thoughtfully woven into the existing stone walls to mark this important intersection of the campus.

The ‘old’ nursing building stood on the proposed site and had long been defunct from its original purpose. The existing building represented a unique opportunity for cost savings and sustainability through the skillful reuse of the older building’s foundation, while adding on new square footage to the building as needed for the project’s program.

The Welcome Center features a presentation room with seating for up to 65 people, as well as a spacious lobby and waiting area that creates inviting entrances on both the north and south ends of the building. The lobby extends vertically above the adjacent roof heights in this area to create clerestory windows. The ceiling height and windows make this a prominent and daylit public space, appropriate to serve as the University’s “front door” for prospective students.

Services

Architecture

Interior Design