MinerAlert
MinerAlert
Flipping through the pages of the April 1914 issue of National Geographic magazine, Kathleen L. Worrell sat captivated by the otherworldly images of a whimsical land hidden in the Himalayan Mountains untouched by modern society.
Seventy-four black and white photographs capturing the awesome wonder of the Kingdom of Bhutan in South Asia populated the 88-page photo essay titled “Castles in the Air” by British diplomat and engineer John Claude White.
Worrell – the wife of the first Dean of the State School of Mines and Metallurgy (now The University of Texas at El Paso) Steve Worrell – was enchanted by the celestial beauty of the kingdom’s fortresses called “dzongs.”
With massive sloping walls, high inset windows, overhanging roofs, and dark bands of brick mosaic tiles in the shape of mandalas, the symbol of unity and wholeness, Bhutan’s dzongs perfectly complemented the rugged landscape of the Himalayas.
Fortresses, or dzongs, in the Kingdom of Bhutan.
Worrell envisioned how spectacular Bhutanese-style buildings would look in the foothills of El Paso’s Franklin Mountains, where the School of Mines’ new campus would be built after the original building was destroyed by fire.
Thanks to Worrell’s vision more than 100 years ago, The University of Texas at El Paso is the only university in the United States whose distinctive architecture is derived from Bhutan’s breathtaking craftsmanship. It also serves as the foundation for the University’s special relationship with the small Himalayan kingdom, enabling Bhutan’s culture and traditions to flourish in the Paso del Norte region.
With nearly all of UTEP’s 97 buildings characterized by classic Bhutanese design, UTEP’s unique architecture offers visitors a glimpse of the beauty and serenity of Bhutan itself on the U.S.-Mexico border.
UTEP’s ties to Bhutan were forged in a fire on Sunday, Oct. 29, 1916, that swept through the School of Mines, destroying the Main Building on the first campus near present-day Fort Bliss.
Once the smoke cleared, Dean Steve Worrell set about the daunting task of rebuilding the school in the western foothills of the Franklin Mountains, close to downtown El Paso. But it was Kathleen Worrell who inspired the school’s signature architecture.
Recalling the striking similarities between Bhutan’s rugged mountainside in the “Castles in the Air” article and the campus’ new location, Kathleen Worrell persuaded her husband that the Bhutanese “dzongs” would be ideal structures for his mining school.
The School of Mines Main Building, destroyed by fire in 1916.
Construction of the first four buildings – now called Old Main, Graham Hall, Quinn Hall and Prospect Hall – began in 1917.
In the century since the construction of campus, UTEP has continued to build on its architectural legacy, blending Bhutan’s 17th century architecture with 21st century innovation to create state-of-the-art facilities that house some of the world’s most advanced educational technology.
In 1967, Her Majesty Queen Ashi Kesang Wangchuk of Bhutan saw photographs of the UTEP campus and wrote a letter to the University lauding UTEP’s successful efforts at “combining modern design so harmoniously with ancient Bhutanese architecture.”
The correspondence was the start of a new phase in UTEP’s relationship with the Himalayan Kingdom.
Since then, UTEP has greatly strengthened its ties to Bhutan through initiatives that foster understanding and appreciation of its people, culture and traditions.
UTEP is home to many beautiful Bhutanese cultural artifacts, including tapestries and intricate wood carvings.
UTEP has been greatly enriched by the growing number of Bhutanese students who are completing undergraduate and graduate degrees in geophysics, finance, engineering, accounting, education and more, and have become highly engaged members of the campus community.
Bhutan has defied distance by bringing its culture and traditions to the U.S.-Mexico border during UTEP’s “Bhutan Days.” The University-sponsored celebrations brought performers and artisans from Bhutan to the campus to interact with students, faculty and staff, and members of the surrounding communities.
UTEP is home to many beautiful Bhutanese cultural artifacts, including tapestries and intricate wood carvings. Among them is the Lhakhang cultural exhibit, the crown jewel of UTEP’s Centennial Plaza.
UTEP’s special relationship with Bhutan is deeply embedded within the hearts of all who learn, teach and visit here.
The University of Texas at El Paso has developed its own 21st century signature spin on Bhutanese architecture to create the research, classroom and support space necessary for a growing national research institution.