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Baylor Time Lapse Video
Client: Baylor University
Architect: Populous
Location: Waco, Texas
Delivery: Construction Manager-at-Risk
Status: Completed
The Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center is a 130,000 SF building that serves approximately 60,000 prospective students, alumni, and guests who visit the campus annually. Four 96-foot columns serve as interactive homages to Waco's heritage and Baylor's original, still-standing original columns on campus in Independence, Texas, where the university was founded in 1945. Each column represents a unique theme—Reflect, Connect, Aspire, and Amplify—and is customizable for various events and guests. The Reflect column showcases campus scenes and reflections, the Connect column immerses visitors in the Baylor experience, the Aspire column is personalized for prospective students, and the Amplify column highlights successful Baylor alumni.
The Hurd Welcome Center features four distinctive columns with specialized moxie panels imported from Australia. To ensure on-time installation, the material required procurement one year in advance to adhere to the project's tight schedule. Vaughn's virtual design team created a digital twin, an exact digital replica of the project, enabling the project team to foresee challenges, optimize workflows, and ensure the seamless integration of innovative technologies within the building. By leveraging virtual design, Vaughn successfully brought the innovative vision of the Hurd Welcome Center to life, constructing it with efficiency and precision and delivering a space with the utmost technological advancements to its users.
59,000 SF student center
39,000 SF administrative building
25,000 SF of library infrastructure upgrades
80,000 SF student center addition
141,100 SF residence hall and tour center
70,000 SF student center expansion