Battle Hall, which houses the Architectural and Planning Library, was the first UT Austin building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Constructed in 1909-1910, it was designed by renowned architect Cass Gilbert. Prior to the Library’s construction, UT adopted the Spanish Mediterranean style for its campus. Gilbert is credited for crafting its design in a modified Spanish Renaissance Revival style that set the tone and aesthetic for the university’s subsequent campus buildings. The West Mall Building was constructed on the library’s west side in 1962.
Hutson|Gallagher was the team’s preservation architect through multiple phases that culminated in the restoration of the exterior envelope. The phases included mechanical systems replacement and ADA upgrades, exterior repairs and restoration such as new clay tile roofs and skylight, new copper gutters and downspouts, and repairs to the historic restrooms. Our firm’s work included the restoration of the historic eaves, cleaning of terra cotta tiles, restoration of the original wood windows and doors, and interior wood screens and blinds. Conservation repairs to the severely deteriorated ornamental metalwork at the eaves and the decorative ironwork at the balconies included removal, restoration, reconstruction of missing elements, corrosion repairs, and fabrication of new pieces.
Professional Photography by Dror Baldinger, FAIA. Project Images by Hutson Gallagher, LLC.