Iconic college campuses have a distinct look and feel. Often their personality has evolved over hundreds of years. That ambience helps build a strong emotional bond with current and former students.
For graduates of Texas Christian University (TCU), in Fort Worth, Texas, cherished memories of time in this inspirational setting – where life goals and friendships originated – are triggered by a unique color and texture of the exterior facade of these structures. And from the day opened to students in Fort Worth, that color has come from Acme Brick.
Even today, when architects present their drawings for lecture halls, theatres and athletic facilities to the TCU Board of Trustees, they proudly call on Acme Brick.
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In a feature published by the TCU Magazine in 2020, “The Story Behind an Iconic Brick Color,” writer Zack Martino explored the brick that built the TCU brand.
“When fire destroyed the main building on the (then) Waco campus in 1910, TCU considered four suitor cities before choosing Fort Worth. Gene Smith, professor of history in the AddRan College of Liberal Arts, said the four original Fort Worth campus buildings were “constructed out of reinforced concrete and brick … because it didn’t burn.”
Since it was founded in 1891, Acme Brick was in the right place at the right time, with the perfect product for TCU.
This practical decision to use readily available brick from a local company proved to be monumental. Acme Brick became an integral part of the university’s aesthetic.
TCU’s current and former history students can surely appreciate how the Acme-TCU relationship established the school’s visual history. In fact, the current president of Acme Brick, Dennis Knautz, is a Horned Frog himself. He completed his undergraduate and MBA studies among the hallowed halls of TCU.
In the TCU Magazine piece, Knautz reassures his fellow alumni explaining, “A new TCU building can require 200,000 bricks, but the supply won’t run short any time soon, as Acme has 30 to 50 years of raw material available.”
In the article, Todd Waldvogel, associate vice chancellor for facilities and campus planning, said the fluctuation in brick color — the tans, creams and beiges — harkens to the early days of construction when a kiln changed the brick’s color, adding warmth and depth.
Since then, the brickmaking process and kiln technology have evolved. But TCU still relies on intentional changes in hue to keep a universal feel among buildings. The current recipe involves drilling, mixing, drying and heating, a process that changes the chemical composition of the clay, something Knautz likened to turning sand into glass.
Martino’s article continued, “All but a few buildings match the original core. The three colors of brick currently used on campus ‘are adjusted to match the original,’ Waldvogel said. When constructing buildings, he said, his team uses different mixes of brick to give each building or area a singular feel.
“The brick and color express a sense of place at TCU, Waldvogel said. The former U.S. Air Force civil engineer approves the building mock-ups created by his design team. Even the mortar (which accounts for about 15 percent of the wall’s color) is a deliberate decision.”
Incorporating the texture and colors of the Acme “buff” brick in the school’s marketing materials is subtle. But many feel it is ingenious. As top-tier colleges compete vigorously for students, TCU’s marketing team has made the brick one of its brand standards.
Building on its success with TCU, Acme Brick has also helped other universities such as Texas Tech University, Baylor University, and The University of Texas at Austin build structures of timeless strength and beauty. If you work in facilities management or design for a college, high school or other educational campus, click here to see if we can help you build a future that students will never forget.
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