The Autry Stephens building at UT Austin creates a welcoming new home for the departments of Chemical Engineering and Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering. A clear statement of Guiding Principles defined priorities at the campus, school and departmental scales, guiding decisions throughout the project. Programmed during COVID, it enabled a rethinking of space assignment methods and associated metrics, resulting in novel space planning strategies:
Research: From cellular research labs assigned by seniority, to highly flexible, collaborative open plan labs assigned based on new empirical standards that adapted THECB “one-size fits all” metrics to science-specific needs. Teaching: From fixed, eyes-forward classrooms, to flexible, multi-focused, multi-media instruction, and new space types supporting student success, student organizations, and collaboration Office: From single to multi-use spaces for hybrid meetings and part-time occupancy