Ezekiel W. Cullen Building
Encyclopedia
The Ezekiel W. Cullen Building, usually shortened in pronunciation as the E. Cullen Building, is a building that serves as the main administrative
headquarters
of the University of Houston
and the University of Houston System
. It is named in honor of Ezekiel Wimberly Cullen, a former congressman
of the Republic of Texas
, and grandfather of building financier Hugh Roy Cullen
. The building was designed by Texas architect Alfred C. Finn
in the Art Deco
style, and opened in 1950.
It is located in the Cullen Family Plaza of the University of Houston campus in Houston, and is iconic to the image of the university. The east portion of the E. Cullen Building constitutes the Cullen Performance Hall
, while the west portion houses the office of the President of the University of Houston as well as other administrative offices.
The main donor to the project was philanthropist and university chairman Hugh Roy Cullen
, who requested that the building be named after his grandfather Ezekiel Wimberly Cullen. The elder Cullen had served as a leader of the Republic of Texas
as a congressman
and also as a justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic. While in the Third Congress of the republic as chairman of the education committee, he also sponsored the "Cullen Act", which started land endowments for schools and universities. The act effectively lay the basis for an eventual state public school system.
The university hired native Houston architect Alfred C. Finn
to design the building. In order to give the building a classical look, Finn designed the building with long wings and regularly spaced pilaster
s. The building officially opened on Halloween
of 1950. The building includes "Three portrait reliefs in gilded bronze of the Cullen family" by sculptor Mario Korbel
dedicated in 1952.
Several years later, the building became home to the first public television
station, KUHT
. The station commenced broadcasting on May 25, 1953 from the fifth floor of the E. Cullen Building. KUHT moved to studios on Cullen Boulevard in 1964.
In 1959, a fire broke-out in the E. Cullen Building, which caused severe interior and exterior damage to the building. It received repairs accordingly thereafter.
Academic administration
An academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities...
headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
of the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
and the University of Houston System
University of Houston System
The University of Houston System is a state university system in Texas, encompassing four separate and distinct universities. It has two system centers, which operate as and distance learning course delivery sites for its universities...
. It is named in honor of Ezekiel Wimberly Cullen, a former congressman
Congress of the Republic of Texas
The Congress of the Republic of Texas was the national legislature of the Republic of Texas established by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas in 1836. It was a bicameral legislature based on the model of the United States Congress...
of the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
, and grandfather of building financier Hugh Roy Cullen
Hugh Roy Cullen
Hugh Roy Cullen was an American industrialist and philanthropist. Cullen was heavily involved in the petroleum industry, was a large supporter of the University of Houston, and longtime chairman of the board of regents for the university...
. The building was designed by Texas architect Alfred C. Finn
Alfred C. Finn
Alfred Charles Finn , a notable Texan architect, was born in Bellville, Texas, on July 2, 1883. Finn grew up in Hempstead, and moved to Houston in 1900 to work for Southern Pacific Railroad as a carpenter and draftsman. Finn was an architect for the Capitol Lofts, the Ezekiel W...
in the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style, and opened in 1950.
It is located in the Cullen Family Plaza of the University of Houston campus in Houston, and is iconic to the image of the university. The east portion of the E. Cullen Building constitutes the Cullen Performance Hall
Cullen Performance Hall
Cullen Performance Hall is a concert hall located on the campus of the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. The hall, comprising the eastern half of the E. Cullen Building, was named in honor of Ezekiel W. Cullen, a former congressman for the Republic of Texas. The facility seats 1,544, and...
, while the west portion houses the office of the President of the University of Houston as well as other administrative offices.
History
The construction of the Ezekiel W. Cullen Building was announced by the university on March 21, 1945. The construction of the E. Cullen Building was part of a large expansion to the University of Houston's permanent buildings on campus that took place starting on May 10, 1948, and the official groundbreaking ceremony occurred on May 14, 1948.The main donor to the project was philanthropist and university chairman Hugh Roy Cullen
Hugh Roy Cullen
Hugh Roy Cullen was an American industrialist and philanthropist. Cullen was heavily involved in the petroleum industry, was a large supporter of the University of Houston, and longtime chairman of the board of regents for the university...
, who requested that the building be named after his grandfather Ezekiel Wimberly Cullen. The elder Cullen had served as a leader of the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
as a congressman
Congress of the Republic of Texas
The Congress of the Republic of Texas was the national legislature of the Republic of Texas established by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas in 1836. It was a bicameral legislature based on the model of the United States Congress...
and also as a justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic. While in the Third Congress of the republic as chairman of the education committee, he also sponsored the "Cullen Act", which started land endowments for schools and universities. The act effectively lay the basis for an eventual state public school system.
The university hired native Houston architect Alfred C. Finn
Alfred C. Finn
Alfred Charles Finn , a notable Texan architect, was born in Bellville, Texas, on July 2, 1883. Finn grew up in Hempstead, and moved to Houston in 1900 to work for Southern Pacific Railroad as a carpenter and draftsman. Finn was an architect for the Capitol Lofts, the Ezekiel W...
to design the building. In order to give the building a classical look, Finn designed the building with long wings and regularly spaced pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s. The building officially opened on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
of 1950. The building includes "Three portrait reliefs in gilded bronze of the Cullen family" by sculptor Mario Korbel
Mario Korbel
Mario Joseph Korbel, American sculptor born in Osik, Bohemia on March 22, 1882 to a clergyman, Joseph Korbel and his wife Katherina Dolezal Korbel. He began studying sculpture in his homeland, continuing his studies after moving to the United States at age 18...
dedicated in 1952.
Several years later, the building became home to the first public television
Public broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
station, KUHT
KUHT
-Technical firsts:The station is also noted in Houston for many technical firsts at the local level. In 1981, KUHT became Houston's first closed captioned television station, and ten years later, in 1991, it became the first station in Houston to offer Descriptive Video Service , and other services...
. The station commenced broadcasting on May 25, 1953 from the fifth floor of the E. Cullen Building. KUHT moved to studios on Cullen Boulevard in 1964.
In 1959, a fire broke-out in the E. Cullen Building, which caused severe interior and exterior damage to the building. It received repairs accordingly thereafter.