 nce it stood almost alone, its distinctive stonework and
tile-topped tower serving as a campus landmark. The late archivist
Ernest Langford '13 thought, at the time, that the ornate
structure "beggars all description." Built in 1932
at a cost of $202,000, the building serves as an intriguing
example of noted architect S. C. P. Vosper's designs on the
campus. Originally known as the Geology-Petroleum
Engineering Building, the structure served as the home of those
departments and housed the college architect and the Texas
Engineering Experiment Station. It was four stories in
height and constructed in the shape of a capital
"T." While claiming to be bereft of the ability to
describe the building, Langford notes however, that the building
"possesses a veritable wilderness of cast stone features,
spandrel after spandrel of multi-colored tile work, and a tower
out of all proportion to the purpose to which it serves.
Intricate cast stone grilles appear in the tower and over the two
secondary entrances: murals composed of fossil forms are features
of the entrance vestibules. The roof of the tower is
finished in ceramic tile of vivid colors and intricate patterns—all of which is lost because of the
height. The ceiling of the auditorium is finished in a
multiplicity of stenciled patterns in a variety of colors."
Why was the tower so large on a building
of such "modest" proportions? It was actually the
support for a very large hot water tank designed to equalize the
pressure in the domestic hot water lines of the campus. The
tank served its purpose until 1964, when it was abandoned inside
the tower.
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Here was a building that,
architecturally, was either "loved or hated."
There seemed to be no two ways about it. By 1972, time and
the elements worked to eliminate criticism of the building's
proportions. Over the years the cast stone on the tower
loosened, becoming a hazard to those walking below. Judged
too expensive to repair, workmen took it down brick by brick and
then removed the giant water tank.
In 1977 the building was named for one of
Texas A&M University's graduates, honoring the life and works
of a generous benefactor, distinguished Houston geologist and
petroleum engineer—Michel T. Halbouty '30. A life-size
bronze statue of Halbouty, installed in1988, now greets visitors
in the main lobby.
Over the years there have been numerous
renovations to the building. The most notable and extensive
began in 1983. A new annex added nearly sixty thousand
square feet, providing new laboratories and office space for the
expanding College of Geosciences. The original building also
underwent modernization during the next few years. In addition,
the revitalization added a library to house some of Halbouty's
rare geological volumes.
While the character of the building
changed significantly, much of Vosper's ornamentation has survived
to give the building a charm all its own. It is located on
Ross Street just across from the Chemistry Building and is well
worth a visit.
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