University of Texas at Austin Harry Ransom Center

This humanities research library and museum at the University of Texas at Austin is one of the world’s finest cultural archives. A 40,000-square-foot renovation transformed the once fortress-like facility into spaces filled with light and open to the outdoors. The design created new exhibit spaces, a 125-seat theater, meeting rooms, and research areas, set within the building’s existing framework. The ground floor public spaces, formerly hidden behind a windowless façade, are now visible through glass walls etched with images and text from the museum’s collection. At night, these glowing windows serve as a beacon for the campus.
Photography: Paul Hester