The Texas-based Stephen F. Austin State University has officially opened its new Pineywoods Dining Hall, more than sixty years after the cafeteria it replaced. This 40,000-square-foot facility marks the university’s first mass timber building and the first such project within the university system. The building’s design and sustainable materials reflect East Texas’s deep-rooted connection to the forestry and lumber industries.
The dining hall features two distinct dining areas joined by an open-air walkway and patio. Architectural highlights include exposed wooden beams, angled timber columns, and a raised roof constructed from southern yellow pine, a species native to the region. Large windows framed in dark trim evoke the verticality of East Texas pine forests, while the brick exterior complements the surrounding campus architecture.
“This project is really special for a lot of reasons,” said Dr Neal Weaver, president of SFA. “One, it is the first mass timber project in the University of Texas System. No other campus in the system has a building like this. And the most important part is it highlights what makes East Texas special and the unique opportunities we have as a region of our state to contribute to all of Texas and hopefully a new way of building buildings all across the country.”
Weaver described the dining hall as a symbol of perseverance, noting that the project was first approved seven years ago and brought to fruition through the efforts of multiple university leaders. Among those recognised were Dr. Steve Westbrook, SFA’s 10th president; John Branch, associate vice president for facilities services and operations; and the late Dr. Baker Pattillo, SFA’s eighth president. “Nacogdoches and SFA were a natural fit for such an innovative project, given the region’s deep connection to the forestry and lumber industries,” said Branch. “Beyond its beauty, this dining hall enriches students’ daily lives and serves as a living example of sustainability in practice.”
The university selected Kirksey Architecture, a Texas-based firm known for its commitment to sustainable design, to lead the project. The use of mass timber was a deliberate choice to support local timber landowners and adjacent industries while promoting environmentally responsible construction practices. “As a firm dedicated to sustainability and innovation, this project highlights the benefits of mass timber while furthering the university’s mission to reconnect with its roots through the state’s southern yellow pine lumber industry,” said Steve Durham, managing director of collegiate practice at Kirksey Architecture.
- To learn more about forestry in Texas, click here for Wood Central’s special feature on the $41 billion industry.
