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Dallas
Two of Beck’s projects, the sciences building at Baylor
University and the First Baptist Church Wichita Falls, received
national DBIA awards in 2007.
Baylor University in Waco, Texas, had a vision for its advancement;
a vision to be achieved by 2012. The sciences building was to serve
as the cornerstone to achieving that vision. The university
recognized that the project’s 26-month schedule would require
greater team collaboration than would be possible with a
traditional design-bid-build approach. The 508,000-square-foot
facility replaces two 30-year-old science buildings, which were
designed when Baylor’s campus population was half its present
size and science education was lecture intensive rather than
research lab oriented. In addition to providing flexible and safe
facilities, the building serves to foster the goals of enabling
connections between the sciences, supporting diverse teaching and
learning styles, increasing student-faculty research and
interaction, and encouraging learning communities outside the
classroom.
Baylor University also wanted to re-create the Georgian
architecture of the original campus buildings. In all, the new
building incorporates 78 research labs, 75 teaching labs, 33
classrooms, three auditoriums, 161 faculty offices, five department
suites, the five interdisciplinary centers, and approximately
75,000 square feet of shell space.
Baylor University Sciences Building
Photo courtesy of The Beck
Group
Outside spaces include three distinct interaction areas including
two courtyards, one with bench seating and the other offering
amphitheater seating, and a large 75,000 square feet plaza with
café table seating. A seating wall surrounds the plaza,
which is bookended with a flush grade fountain on each end and a
new pedestrian bridge linking the new facility to the west side of
campus. The plaza design serves to balance the function of a
100-year flood plain run-off area with the plaza’s intended
use as a dramatic social center between what would become two of
the busiest building on campus; the sciences building and the
existing student life center.
Other features include a 1,175 square feet greenhouse, designed to
meet USDA regulations, that supports aquatic and plant biology
research, and a 6,500 square feet, AAALAC-certifiable
vivarium.
Beck’s second project was designed and built to support the
growing ministry of 100-year-old First Baptist Church Wichita Falls
(FBCWF) in Wichita Falls, Kansas. The 71,000 square feet, 2-story
addition was envisioned to communicate with today’s modern
community and also connect with the historic nature of the original
church. The project features an outdoor courtyard area to
the north that branches off into the Worship Center to the west and
educational spaces to the east. Beck also completed the second
floor office and support spaces and a small basement area. The new
Worship Center sits connected to the original 100-year-old
structures.
First Baptist Church Wichita Falls
Photo courtesy of The Beck
Group
The original buildings are limestone, brick, and concrete. The new
construction is tilt wall panel with built-up roofing. Unifying the
look of the new tilt wall with the existing buildings became one of
the team’s biggest challenges.
The Worship Center’s new sanctuary consists of 1,650
parishioner seats in traditional pew arrangement, 125 choir seats,
and 40 auditorium seats. Kneelers, a unique feature for a Baptist
church, were specifically requested by the pastor and were
incorporated into the ground floor seating. The stage area is
flanked on either side by two 16-foot-wide screens which are used
for image magnification as well as for announcements, hymns, and
topical Bible verses. The choir rehearsal room is located directly
behind the sanctuary in a mirrored set-up so that the choir can
exit their seating in the sanctuary and move
directly into the choir rehearsal space seating in the same
order.
Two of the most visually stunning features of the Worship Center
are the 90-foot tower and cross and the 20’x45’ stained
glass window along the west facade. The tower’s tube design is
made completely of glass and can be fully illuminated at night.
FBCWF’s choir rehearsal room is located directly behind the
large stained glass window allowing the room to be inundated with
light and color, producing spectacular
views at rehearsal times.
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