I took a leisurely walk inside of this building and out last week when I was on campus. Several folks working there were more than happy to point out various unique aspects of this building.
Built in 1932 and named in 1998 after TAMU's 17th president, the Jack K. Williams Administration Building makes an impressive entrance to campus. A five-pointed bronze star at the base of the flag pole on the front lawn bears the names of some of the university's first presidents.
Designed in a classic Beaux Arts style, the building is made of light grey stone rather than brick. Its long front portico contains a tiled floor, ornate ceiling and huge urns set between 14 enormous ionic columns. Each column features the face of a warrior and a woman on opposing sides. 128 ram heads line the building's perimeter, while 124 lion heads line the copper roof's edge. The massive bronze doors at the building's east entrance show figures representing agriculture and engineering, along with stylized "A" and "M" letters superimposed over a background of antique Belgian glass.
Inside, the A&M theme expands to include iconography of Texas and the Southwest expressed in ornamental metals, stained glass, plaster, decorative paintings and a large terrazzo Texas map on the foyer floor. Colors of the map portray Texas geography, while brass markings represent Spanish missions, rivers and cattle trails. The sites of major battles of the Texas Revolution are indicated by crossed sabers. Also marked are the locations of Washington-on-the-Brazos (where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed), the capital of Texas and Texas A&M. read more