Welch Hall Convocation Center Restoration

Lord Aeck Sargent led the restoration of the historic Convocation Center in Welch Hall, a 1929 chemistry building, with a focus on preserving the architectural legacy while addressing modern functional needs. The project required detailed assessments of the existing lighting conditions, revealing inconsistent and inadequate illumination across the space, which obscured the room's intricate hand-painted ceilings. Off-the-shelf lighting options were evaluated, but none matched the dual requirements of effective lighting and historical continuity. To resolve this, Lord Aeck Sargent collaborated with a prominent Austin-based lighting designer to create custom chandeliers featuring advanced LED down-lights and wide-dispersion CFL up-lights, ensuring balanced illumination while respecting the room’s heritage. This bespoke solution involved input from multiple University stakeholders, including facilities management, to address long-term maintenance considerations, showcasing a blend of technical precision and sensitivity to historic preservation.