Union Building (University of Texas at Austin)
Encyclopedia
The Union Building is a building on the University of Texas at Austin
campus, serving as a "college independent community center" or "living room" for students. Designed by Paul Cret, who also designed the Tower and Main Building, Goldsmith Hall and Texas Memorial Museum
on the same campus, the Union was built in 1933 with funds provided by Texas Exes
in a campaign led by Thomas Watt Gregory
.
Once constructed, the Union was one of four buildings on campus intended for recreation and entertainment, the other three being Gregory Gymnasium
for Men, the Women's Gymnasium and Hogg Memorial Auditorium. The building hosts a bowling alley and formal ballroom.
and ashlar
fossiliferous limestone. The building is staggered and asymmetrical, as opposed to "classically balanced" like Battle Hall
, another building Cret designed for the campus.
, is a music venue and gathering place for students located in the Union Building, originally known as the Chuck Wagon when it opened in 1933. In January 2010, the university announced plans to close the Cactus, claiming that closing the venue would save the university $66,000 in its $2 billion annual budget. Concerned supporters formed the non-profit organization Friends of the Cactus Café with the purpose of raising funds to preserve the historic venue. An arrangement was eventually made to keep the venue open under the auspices and management of PBS radio station KUT
.
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
campus, serving as a "college independent community center" or "living room" for students. Designed by Paul Cret, who also designed the Tower and Main Building, Goldsmith Hall and Texas Memorial Museum
Texas Memorial Museum
The Texas Memorial Museum is the main exhibit hall of the Texas Natural Science Center at the University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas, USA....
on the same campus, the Union was built in 1933 with funds provided by Texas Exes
Texas Exes
The Ex-Students' Association of The University of Texas is the association of former students of the University of Texas at Austin....
in a campaign led by Thomas Watt Gregory
Thomas Watt Gregory
Thomas Watt Gregory was an American attorney and Cabinet Secretary.-Biography:Born in Crawfordsville, Mississippi, he graduated from The Webb School in Bell Buckle, TN in 1881, Southwestern Presbyterian University in 1883, and was a special student at the University of Virginia...
.
Once constructed, the Union was one of four buildings on campus intended for recreation and entertainment, the other three being Gregory Gymnasium
Gregory Gymnasium
Gregory Gymnasium is the 4,400-seat current home of the University of Texas Longhorn Women's Volleyball team, and former home of the Longhorn Basketball and Swimming teams. The basketball teams moved out in 1977 to the Erwin Center....
for Men, the Women's Gymnasium and Hogg Memorial Auditorium. The building hosts a bowling alley and formal ballroom.
History
In March 1930, Paul Cret was contracted to become the consulting architect for the University of Texas, followed by a second contact in June 1931 to design ten new buildings.Construction
The Union Building was constructed from smooth limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
fossiliferous limestone. The building is staggered and asymmetrical, as opposed to "classically balanced" like Battle Hall
Battle Hall
Battle Hall, also known as "The Old Library," is a historic library on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas. It is one of two buildings on campus that have been added to the National Register of Historic Places...
, another building Cret designed for the campus.
Cactus Café
The Cactus CaféCactus Cafe
The Cactus Café is a live music venue and bar on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin. Located in Austin, Texas, a city frequently referred to as "the live music capital of the world," a number of well-known artists have played in the Cactus, and Billboard Magazine named it as one of...
, is a music venue and gathering place for students located in the Union Building, originally known as the Chuck Wagon when it opened in 1933. In January 2010, the university announced plans to close the Cactus, claiming that closing the venue would save the university $66,000 in its $2 billion annual budget. Concerned supporters formed the non-profit organization Friends of the Cactus Café with the purpose of raising funds to preserve the historic venue. An arrangement was eventually made to keep the venue open under the auspices and management of PBS radio station KUT
Kut
Al-Kūt is a city in eastern Iraq, on the left bank of the Tigris River, about 160 kilometres south east of Baghdad. the estimated population is about 374,000 people...
.
See also
- History of The University of Texas at AustinHistory of The University of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas was originally conceived in 1827 under an article in the Constitución de Coahuila y Texas to open a public university in the state of Texas. The Constitution of 1876 also called for the creation of a "university of the first class." Thus, they created The University of Texas...
- List of University of Texas at Austin buildings