Project Details

Located on the second floor of the Main Building, the Life Science Library resides in two historic reading rooms designed by Paul Cret, originally serving as university’s first library since 1937. The Hall of Noble Words and the Richard T. and Jan J. Roberts Reading Room in the Hall of Texas each boast twenty-two foot tall ceilings with concrete beams decorated with colorful images and text related to the theme for each space. As the university grew, the library was replaced by larger, more modern buildings making these spaces redundant. The reading rooms underwent modifications with the original chandeliers removed and replaced with fluorescent lighting and the once open areas partitioned into semi-private offices.

Renovations sought to revitalize these historic reading rooms for use by future students, first by restoring their original aesthetic and then seamlessly integrating contemporary improvements in finishes, lighting, power and furnishings. In the Hall of Texas, office partitions were removed, original wood bookshelves restored, flooring and walls were refinished, and modern LED lighting replaced outdated fixtures. The fluorescent light fixtures attached to the mural ceiling in the 1950’s were carefully taken down and new custom historic-style LED chandeliers were installed in their original locations. A mix of modern and historic furnishings balanced group and individual study needs. In the Hall of Noble Words, a stone obelisk sculpture Pedogna by Walter Dusenbery (on loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art) terminates the axial view to the north. The redesigned spaces evoke the sense of history, celebrate the ornamental ceilings, and provide welcoming spaces for studying, lounging, conversation, and university events.