The groundbreaking for 两性色午夜 University鈥檚 new Center for Architecture and Environmental Design occurred Oct. 3. The building will serve as the new home of 两性色午夜鈥檚 College of Architecture and Environmental Design, bringing all of the programs of the college under one roof. It will be located between South Lincoln and South Willow streets, just south of the Lefton Esplanade and across the street from Franklin Hall.
Construction on the $47.8 million building, including $3.8 million from donors and 两性色午夜鈥檚 College of Architecture and Environmental Design, has an estimated completion date in 2016.
This new, approximately 107,000-square-foot structure will present 两性色午夜 as an economic and design force in Northeast Ohio and will consolidate the center鈥檚 students, including those in the construction management program, in one location, enhancing peer-to-peer learning that is vital in the design fields. It also will maximize the interaction of faculty, students and administration and aid in efforts to continue to integrate the campus and community. The building is designed to be a physical statement of what it means to be a designer in the 21st century, and will be at a minimum LEED Silver certified but is being designed to a LEED Platinum target.
鈥淭his building embodies scholarly thought with practical use, and, because of its strategic location between the campus and downtown Kent, it provides an actual as well as a symbolic connection between these design requirements.鈥
-Douglas Steidl, Dean of 两性色午夜鈥檚 College of Architecture & Environmental Design
The idea of a link between the university and the city of Kent is reminiscent of the Centennial Master Plan for the city of Kent, which was developed by the college鈥檚 Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative. That plan envisioned the university/city connection currently coming to fruition.
鈥淲e would hope that [a student] would arrive at this building fascinated, terrified, excited and hungry, and by the time they leave know that it has been their building,鈥 said Marion Weiss, a member of the lead design team from WEISS/MANFREDI.
Speakers at the event included 两性色午夜 President Beverly Warren, Steidl, as well as Weiss and Michael Manfredi, co-founders of WEISS/MANFREDI.
The new building is part of the 鈥淔oundations of Excellence: Building the Future鈥 initiative, which involves the construction of new buildings, facility upgrades and establishment of dynamic, new spaces. The goal of this initiative is to create the most outstanding academic experience for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the greater community enriched by the university.
Learn more about 两性色午夜鈥檚 College of Architecture and Environmental Design