D. Kirk Edwards Family Human Performance Center | University of Texas Permian Basin

Embedded in the culture of West Texas, the University of Texas Permian Basin has responded to the unique needs of its community by building a shared facility that supports its growing athletic department and innovative Kinesiology Department.

Football and athletics are a way of life in West Texas, well-chronicled in the book and television show “Friday Night Lights.” To remain competitive in attracting students, faculty and support from alumni and the community, UTPB knew it needed to improve its athletic resources and facilities for kinesiology teaching and research. The university’s new D. Kirk Edwards Family Human Performance Center achieves that with a combined academic, research and athletic training space to support the growing interest in health-related training and research.

The building’s long linear form is evocative of the landscape, creating a prominent centerpiece among athletic fields. It features high-tech weight training spaces, laboratories and classrooms for the study of athletic training, exercise physiology, pre-physical therapy, and sports and exercise psychology. 

The facility also features laboratories for exercise physiology, biomechanics, athletic training and sports psychology, creating research space that prepares students for careers in the human performance industry. The building’s strategic location on the UTPB Circle further raises awareness and interest across the campus and the broader community. Through a design that elevates athletics and engages the greater West Texas region, the facility successfully grows the university’s brand — attracting a new generation of talent to play, teach, research and study.

ARCHITECT OF RECORD

SmithGroup

Dallas, Texas

ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT

Vandergriff Group Architects

Midland, Texas

PROJECT VENDORS