This really had a combination of understanding and honoring the building itself.
— Kirsten R. Murray, FAIA
Location Austin
Client St. Edward’s University
Architect Baldridge Architects
Design Team Burton Baldridge, AIA; Michael Hargens, AIA; Aaron Sleator; Laura Grenard; Ryan Flener Contractor Bartlett Cocke
Historic Architect (Exterior) Architexas
Structural Engineer Leap!
MEP/Civil Engineer Big Red Dog
Owner’s Representative/Project Manager Benz Resource Group
Baldridge Architects headed the exterior restoration and interior renovation of Holy Cross Hall, one of two prominent 1903 buildings anchoring the St. Edward’s hilltop campus. The complex program involved balancing the limitations of the existing building while seamlessly bringing it up to code. Neither modern nor historicist, the update incorporates modern distillations of elements from the existing building with small “living rooms” to foster collaboration and study. An open central stair acts as a natural luminaire, and a strategic use of walnut accents lends the environment a warm, homelike quality.