Hovering above the flat West Texas desert plain, the iconic Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center  is a beacon for the arts visible for miles around. A symbol for the University of Texas as well as for the two adjacent cities of Midland and Odessa, the Center represents the entire region’s commitment to the arts.

The building’s dramatic form is inspired by the underlying geologic structure of the Permian Basin, Texas’s petroleum-producing region. By shaping the building’s volumes along inclines and declines and cladding them in local limestone, we imagined a singular building that seems formed from the geologic strata. As a counterpoint, the upper volumes of the structure are clad in stainless steel to reflect and merge with the huge West Texas sky.

The state-of-the-art, multi-use venue accommodates a wide array of touring productions from national performing arts groups as well as local performances, graduations, lectures and screenings. The Center also provides much-needed instructional space specifically designed for the University’s growing music education program.

The building design and systems are optimized for the harsh conditions of West Texas, integrating thoughtfully placed windows, native plantings, displacement ventilation strategies, and daylight-sensing lighting controls.

The visionary client group asked for a building unlike any other. Our collaborative process delivered an award-winning facility that is both a huge commercial success and a true icon for the arts and culture in the Permian Basin.