Project info
Client Garfield Public Private
Client Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association
Architect Diamond Schmitt Architects
Architect Parkhill Smith & Cooper
Architect MWM Architects, Inc
Other Brad Oldham
Lubbock, Texas
The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences
Design That Amplifies Buddy Holly’s Legacy
Project sector
Cultural Design
Additional services
Museum & Exhibit Wayfinding Design Environmental Graphic DesignA cultural landmark rooted in music
In Lubbock, Texas, music is part of the landscape. It’s woven into the city’s history and the legacy of one of its most influential sons, Buddy Holly. The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts & Sciences was envisioned as a home for that creative spirit—a place where performance, community, and memory come together.
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Turning Recognition into Experience
RSM Design approached the project as an opportunity to tell a story through the built environment. Rather than treating donor recognition and wayfinding as separate elements, the environmental graphic program was designed to unfold seamlessly within the architecture. At the heart of the experience is a monumental donor recognition wall that greets visitors at the main entry. From a distance, the installation reads as an iconic image of Buddy Holly mid-performance; up close, it reveals nearly 9,000 hand-cast guitar pick-shaped plaques, each representing an individual supporter. Together, these elements transform recognition into a shared, immersive experience.
A Lasting Impression
Throughout the hall, wayfinding supports intuitive movement while reinforcing the building’s identity as a place rooted in music and community pride. Materials, scale, and placement were carefully considered so the graphics feel inherent to the architecture rather than applied. The resulting experience connects visitors to legacy, participation, and place—a design approach that earned the project an AIGA: Year in Design Award for its thoughtful integration of storytelling, craft, and purpose.
