Texas Historical Commission Maintenance Archaeology & Retail Complex

Texas Historical Commission Maintenance Archaeology & Retail Complex
CLIENT
TEXAS HISTORIC COMMISION
SECTOR
CIVIC
COMMERCIAL
STATUS
IN PROGRESS

The San Felipe de Austin Historical Site serves as a dynamic space where Texas history comes alive. As the heart of the Austin Colony, it blends historical preservation with a modern-day visitor experience. With a museum, visitor entrance, and a team scattered across pre-manufactured buildings, the site faces growing challenges from increased visitor numbers, active archaeological activities, and expanding volunteer engagement.

To address these challenges, Project Luong, in collaboration with MBC Management, developed a thoughtful architectural solution tailored to the site’s unique conditions. By prioritizing the preservation of unexcavated soils, the team carefully designed the new facility’s location in collaboration with the lead historian, ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing archaeological efforts while creating spaces that enhance both operational efficiency and the visitor experience.

At the center of this effort is the Maintenance, Archeology, and Retail Building, a 6,280 SF metal structure designed to provide vital operational support and functional spaces for the site.

Design

The design takes a modern approach to the Texas material palette, using sleek corrugated metal siding and contemporary utilitarian forms that honor the site’s history while projecting a forward-looking aesthetic.

Planned for both staff and volunteer use, the building includes flexible support spaces such as a processing lab, office, break area, and protected archive storage to improve workflows and collaboration. Restrooms with showers were added to accommodate volunteer teams who travel and work onsite for extended periods, creating comfort and convenience during ongoing archaeological efforts.

Dedicated areas for retail, logistics, and maintenance support daily operations—providing space for equipment repairs, parts storage, and safe handling of materials. Together, these elements balance functionality with preservation, ensuring the facility enhances both the visitor and worker experience while honoring Texas’s rich heritage.

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Design-Build Collaboration

Working within the Design-Build format, Project Luong partnered closely with MBC Management and the Client, testing several layout ideas and phasing options as the project evolved. What started as a concept with multiple smaller buildings eventually became a single, linear structure that could still be built in phases if needed.

As the design developed, we went through several cost exercises to keep the project on budget without losing sight of the overall vision. Materials were simplified, and rooflines refined to make the design more efficient and stretch the budget further. In the end, the result is a cohesive facility that feels intentional and well-crafted—showing how collaboration and flexibility can make a complex project come together smoothly.

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RESULTS + VITAL STATISTICS

Solve the people problem first.
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