Location: Houston, TX
Intent: Lovett Hall is the iconic centerpiece of Rice University. Designed by revivalist architect Ralph Adams Cram of the firm Cram, Goodhue, and Ferguson, the Neo-Byzantine style building was the first completed on the university’s campus, housing classrooms, lecture halls, a library, and the office of the president. Rice University is currently studying alternatives for the rehabilitation of Lovett Hall. EHT Traceries was engaged by the university master planners, KieranTimberlake, to inform treatment options for the building that recognize its unique stature. Traceries examined and reevaluated the earlier work of preservation consultants to inform a comprehensive understanding of the building’s significance, integrity, and condition. Traceries developed and analysed a spectrum of historic preservation scopes to meet the needs and budget of Rice University while also considering other institutional priorities including program goals, accessibility, and energy efficiency. Traceries also provided guidance on the benefits and constraints of historic preservation designation at the local, national, and state levels.
Client: Rice University
Size: 50,000 sf
Dates: 2017-present