A college by any other name is still OK


Thomas Gray

Last week, Gerald Hines donated seven of his many millions of dollars to the University of Houston College of Architecture. In return, the local developer's name was affixed to the college. Most of the school's faculty, staff, students and alumni were pleased by the announcement. The arrangement worked out for everybody's benefit, after all. The school received an infusion of much-needed cash, and the man who owns half the city of Houston bought his ticket to immortality.

Not everyone was enthusiastic about the development, however. Some students were upset, even insulted, that the college was named after a developer. "Blasphemy!" they cried. "What does a developer know about architecture, after all? All Gerald Hines wants from his architects is real estate that sells for about $50 a square foot; he could care less about architectural theory or history or philosophy or design or any of the other things they teach us here at school. This is just another example of the corporate world encroaching on our bastion of academia!"

Of course, it could be considered rude and arrogant to complain when somebody throws $7 million at you, especially when that money will be used for scholarships, equipment, guest speakers and other items that will benefit your education.

However, let's look at the issue at hand. Is having the school named after Gerald Hines really a bad thing? Without him, many of the city's most famous pieces of architecture wouldn't exist. He built the Transco Tower, the Galleria, Pennzoil Place and Texas Commerce Tower, the city's tallest building.

Gerald Hines has given architects like Philip Johnson and I.M. Pei the commissions that have helped to make them famous. Indeed, he has done more in terms of architecture than anybody else in this city's history. It seems natural that the college should bear his name.

Furthermore, by taking the name of a developer, the College of Architecture is recognizing something essential about the city in which it is located: Houston's wide-open spaces and lack of zoning have made it a developer's paradise. Entrepreneurial spirit has driven this city since it was laid out by the Allen brothers in 1836.

In fact, having the UH College of Architecture named after an internationally famous developer might turn out to be a benefit. For starters, it's a good way for the school to gain national recognition, especially in the business community. There are many potential clients out there who might not be very familiar with the architectural world but who have heard of Gerald Hines and his success in the real-estate market. It certainly won't hurt anybody's job chances to have this man's name on their diploma.

Finally, and most importantly, before you whine about the new name, ask yourself this: Will the quality of education at the college be adversely affected by the name "Gerald D. Hines?" In all likelihood, probably not.

My message for today: Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Without developers, very few architects would have jobs.

Gray is very proud to be an alumnus of the UH Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture.