Perhaps the most famous story of the Blanton, and one the institution would prefer to forget, was the replacement of the noted Swiss firm Herzog and de Meuron hired to design the Blanton in 1998 when their scheme was interpreted as being “incompatible” with the Spanish Mediterranean campus style. The final building's regressive style was mandated by the university regents to include “regional” elements such as the colonnade, wide overhanging eaves, smooth masonry exterior, and terra-cotta tile roof that blends into this section of early campus buildings.