Hogg Memorial Auditorium
Austin, Texas
2025 HISTORIC REHABILITATION AWARD
Completed in 1933, Hogg Memorial Auditorium was designed by Paul Cret, the renowned architect whose Beaux-Arts vision shaped much of UT’s campus. Named for Texas’ first native-born governor, James Stephen Hogg, Hogg Memorial Auditorium was the university’s first dedicated theater. Over its nine decades of service, it has hosted thousands of events, from student performances and lectures to film screenings and political addresses.
However, by the 2010s the auditorium was facing some infrastructural challenges. Its mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems were outdated and inefficient, and accessibility was minimal. The lobby was cramped, seating was worn, and upgrades for modern performance technology were sorely needed.
The rehabilitation project, which was completed in 2023, addressed all of these deficiencies. The building’s systems were fully upgraded, and a mechanical basement was excavated beneath the existing structure, doubling equipment space without disturbing the original architectural design.
Accessibility was also upgraded to include ADA-compliant pathways, lifts, and added restrooms. The lobby and vestibule were also reconfigured to be more functional and accessible.
In the auditorium, the seating was replaced, and the character-defining historic features such as carved plaster proscenium and encaustic tile were carefully restored or reproduced. Even the longhorn seat-end light covers were recast from two salvaged originals and reinstalled.
Modern performance and technology needs were integrated seamlessly. The auditorium now features digital cinema capabilities, state-of-the-art AV systems, motorized blackout shades, and acoustic panels. The project became the first renovation on UT’s campus to achieve LEED Platinum certification for its sustainable design.
Significant challenges overcome included integrating modern systems without altering historic exteriors, excavating beneath the structure without compromising integrity, and carefully restoring fragile plaster and tile details. Yet the project team’s dedication resulted in a space that honors its original 1933 design while supporting 21st-century performance needs.
Today, the restored Hogg Memorial Auditorium hosts more than 100 events annually, from lectures and concerts to major university ceremonies. It continues to serve as a teaching space for students learning performance technology and continues to be a cultural anchor for UT.
The award was presented at Preservation Texas’s 2025 Honor Award Ceremony in San Antonio on October 30, 2025.
Owner: The University of Texas at Austin
Owner’s Project Manager: Nina Hammoudeh, The University of Texas at Austin (Planning Design & Construction)
Architects: Michelle Rossomando, AIA, RID (Principal In Charge), and Andrew Green, AIA (Project Architect), McKinney York Architects
Engineer: Amy N. Ruffino, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, Jacobs, (Project Manager)
Contractor: Mayur Sethi, Spawglass
Other Partners and Stakeholders: Mulu Ferede, University Unions (User Group); Chuck Naeve, Architectural Engineers Collaborative (Structural), John Rob Hicks, DataCom Design Group (AV/IT/Security/Acoustics); Chris McInnis, Wiss Janney Elstner Associates (Envelope & Historic Consulting)
