Design architect Lawrence Group, with architect-of-record Corgan, has completed designs for a new residence hall at the University of St. Thomas (UST) in Houston, TX. The project included a feasibility study performed by Lawrence Group’s Austin, TX office on two proposed construction sites and design of a five-story, 95,000-square-foot student housing facility to accommodate 400 residents.
A groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of construction on the new hall at 1302 Sul Ross St. across from Guinan Hall was held on June 12. Designs for the new residence hall include a combination of double-, single-, and suite-style units and a Resident Assistant apartment, as well as various communal spaces for gathering, prayer and study. Turner & Townsend Heery is serving as the owner’s representative; Harvey Cleary of Houston, TX is the general contractor on the project.
As Houston’s only Catholic university, the project will enable UST to double its current student resident capacity when it opens to students in the fall of 2028.
“This new residence hall will create a unique experience that reinforces UST’s Catholic mission and identity through a vibrant city-like housing complex that engages and promotes social, spiritual, and academic interaction and activity,” said Lawrence Group Principal Javier Esteban, AIA, LEED AP.
The new residence hall will provide not only state-of-the-art living spaces but also thoughtfully designed areas inside and outside that support prayer and reflection in addition to students’ academic pursuits, including a private garden designed for a future grotto.
A chapel designed at the hall’s core for 50+ students will serve as the spiritual heartbeat of the building with dedicated spaces for small group and individual prayer to ensure that students can encounter God in every corner of their lives.
“These intentional features reflect UST’s deep conviction that a university education is about more than intellectual development—it is about nurturing the soul,” according to the university.
The new residence hall’s façade is inspired by its surrounding neighborhood and architect Philip Johnson’s postmodernist design of the university’s quad, which includes Welder, Jones and Strake halls – box-shaped, brick buildings connected by two-story walkways.
