Texas Memorial Museum Addition by Jon Dasher

Expand view for photograph A collage featuring historic photos and architectural drawings of the Texas Memorial Museum, alongside a modern site plan with highlighted building outlines in red. Trees, pathways, and surrounding structures are visible.

Expand view for photograph Six architectural site diagrams show building layouts, shaded areas, and red lines indicating spatial relationships and boundaries around a central highlighted structure. The diagrams illustrate different phases or aspects of site analysis.

Expand view for photograph Aerial digital site plan of a building complex with surrounding roads, landscaped areas, trees, pathways, and adjacent structures, shown in a grayscale architectural drawing style.

Expand view for photograph Axonometric line drawing of a building complex with multiple rectangular structures, pathways, and surrounding roads; one building features a central courtyard. Labeled Axonometric Overview in the top left corner.

Expand view for photograph Axonometric architectural drawing showing a highlighted transparent orange section labeled pedestal within a larger building complex. The surrounding buildings and site context are outlined in thin black lines.

Expand view for photograph Axonometric drawing of a building complex with highlighted red structures labeled as monuments, shown in contrast to the surrounding grayscale buildings and site context.

Expand view for photograph Three architectural diagrams show a building complex with highlighted red paths depicting approach, ground floor circulation, and vertical circulation routes within the site.

Expand view for photograph Isometric architectural drawing of a building, shown in exploded view with multiple layers and sections separated to reveal internal structural and spatial elements. Thin lines outline the components against a white background.

Expand view for photograph Black and white architectural floor plan with labeled rooms, stairs, walls, and entry points. The plan includes a legend on the upper left and outlines surrounding exterior landscaping features.

Expand view for photograph Two architectural floor plans shown in black and white. The top plan is labeled Level 1/Exhibit/Café, and the bottom is labeled Level 2/Exhibit/Admin. Each plan shows room layouts and details for a building.

Expand view for photograph Black and white architectural floor plans showing two building levels: the upper entry level with multiple rooms and pathways, and the lower club/bookshop level with fewer, smaller rooms. Both plans are drawn with fine lines.

Expand view for photograph Architectural section drawing of a multi-story building with large windows, adjacent tree, underground levels, and detailed interior spaces; labeled legend appears in the upper left corner.

Expand view for photograph Architectural section drawing of a multi-story building with large windows. The image shows interior rooms, staircases, and a courtyard with a tree on the left. A legend identifies building elements and spaces.

Expand view for photograph Architectural section drawings of a modern building, showing two detailed cross-sectional views with interior layouts, stairs, trees, and landscape elements; drawn in black lines on a white background.

Expand view for photograph Three architectural renderings show a modern building with curved and rectangular forms, textured light gray facades, large dark-framed windows, and open walkways under a partly cloudy sky.

Expand view for photograph Several small, white architectural models are arranged on rectangular white bases against a plain black background, representing buildings or houses in a minimalistic style.

Expand view for photograph A minimalist architectural model made of white paper, featuring three connected rectangular and curved structures placed on a slightly uneven white base, set against a black background.

Expand view for photograph A white abstract paper sculpture with geometric shapes sits on a dark background, illuminated by a focused light source.

Expand view for photograph A small architectural model made of white paper sits on a slightly curved white base against a black background, featuring rectangular and curved block shapes.

Expand view for photograph A top-down view of an architectural model made of light wood, featuring buildings, pathways, abstract terrain, and small tree-like structures representing landscaping elements.

Expand view for photograph Architectural model of a modern building complex with rectangular and curved structures, surrounded by trees and pathways, displayed on a textured base that represents the landscape.

Expand view for photograph Architectural model made of light-colored materials showing modern, box-shaped buildings, pathways, and stylized trees. The model highlights geometric forms and landscape details, set against a plain background.

Expand view for photograph Architectural model made of light wood, featuring a multi-story building with open floors and rectangular cutouts, situated beside a structure with large grid-patterned windows and a central doorway.

Re-envisioning an existing monument at the northeast corner of The University of Texas at Austin campus, this project creates a new plurality to the monumentality of the Texas Memorial Museum through the formation of two new wings – whose forms are derived from the existing structure. These wings reference the original concept for the museum – one that was never completed – serving expanding programming requirements including exhibition, office, and storage space. They rest atop and rise from a new entry pedestal level that directly connects with the main exhibit of the existing museum, unifying the addition with the existing one to form one entity. The new massing and pedestal create an intimate central courtyard, with repurposes the existing fountain and sculptural relief of the former terrace, forming a new axial dialogue with the formal lawn in front of the existing building.

Overall, the project represents a respect for the existing – constantly drawing upon it both formally and programmatically – while also seeking to reimagine a monument through the superimposition of two new forms.

2021-2022 Design Excellence Award Winner

Jon Dasher
Architecture Vertical Studio
Instructor: Martin Haettasch

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