student union building sample part 1

University of Illinois Springfield

UIS Student Union

Floor Plans

Bilkent University (FADA) Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design IAED 302 INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO IV ID Lecturer Siniša Prvanov 2017

Master Plan 2014

Program for the Design of the Student Union

The Student Union Committee, comprised of students, faculty, staff, and university leaders,

has developed and adhered to the following strategies and goals. Based on their work, the

Student Union will be:

1. Bright and Spacious

To keep the spaces open and transparent, the biggest masses and program spaces, as well

as service zones, will fit into the eastern end of the building, shifting more opaque

elements to one side. The lounges, restaurants, and large multipurpose/ballroom space,

centered and at the west end of the building, will have an open and transparent feel, so

that whether you are inside or outside the building, you’ll have wonderful views of the

Quad to the north and recreational areas to the south.

2. “Thick Spaced”

The building will have very few single-use spaces. Program areas will intentionally overlap

and interweave so that the building will contain an almost continuous hive of activity,

ensuring a dynamic social experience. Intended for use by every member of the campus,

the building will need to serve many different goals, needs, and priorities, so the spaces

will therefore be very flexible.

3. Boldly Student Centered

This building had its birth in student activism and enthusiasm. While versatile, welcoming,

and designed for use by all campus entities, as well as by the community, the building is

nevertheless primarily for students. By concentrating the student life spaces on the formal

Quad axis, student life is emphasized and celebrated, and the students become the

ornament of the building.

4. Strong on Social Interaction

Right now on campus, students, faculty, and others have few places to gather, creating a

lack of “social density.” The Student Union will address that need. Situated at the

crossroads of campus, the Student Union will become a destination for virtually everyone

who comes to UIS, making it the social heart of campus, a place “to see and be seen.”

5. Easily Navigated

During the design process, care was taken to ensure an easy flow through the building’s

spaces. A core of functions clusters in the middle of the building, while open spaces around

the edges allow for a natural pathway, creating a sense of discovery as spaces unfold.

6. Contemporary and Contextual

The UIS campus currently has postmodernist buildings oriented around a traditionally

formal Quad. The Student Union will use contemporary forms and composition that respect

the existing campus scale, character, and palette of materials, while also taking on its own

identity as a non-academic building.

7. Simple and Elegant

The design of the Student Union uses simple forms and elegant gestures to create a

powerful composition without becoming overly complex. As such, the Student Union will be

a new icon for the campus, certain to stand the “test of time” without becoming a piece of

dated architecture.

8. Visually Transparent

With large transparent spaces, terracing outside, and overlapping functions inside, people

will be able to see up, down, in, out, and all around the building. This open design will

enhance the social nature of the building. The two-story open lounge will connect the

building’s spaces, creating the dynamic heart of the building and campus.

9. Environmentally Excellent

UIS is seeking a LEED Gold certificate (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design,

awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council), both for the sake of the environment and in

order to take advantage of energy saving measures. For this reason, the building will have

a green, or “living,” roof covered with vegetation and a growing medium over a sloped

membrane. This roof will provide insulation, help to lower air temperatures, and last much

longer than other roofs—50 to 60 years rather than the 20 to 30 years most roofs last. The

vegetation will most likely include wildflowers that will change throughout the growing

season, adding to the building’s beauty.

To reduce storm runoff and eliminate water irrigation, the Student Union will have a

rainwater reclamation system that takes advantage of the roof’s slope.

First Floor

Second Floor

View of northwest corner

View of entrance

View from TRAC

View from TRAC at night

View from north

View from north at noght

Main floor-lounge

Seating for food service

View of lounge from conference room

View of lounge from upper level

Realization

Portland State University

USA 2014

Student Union Building

Project Description


Basement Floor Plan

Sub-Basement Floor Plan

The University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada 2015

UBS Student Union Building

Project Description


Rendering of new SUB – Southwest View

CLIENT: UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA PROPERTIES TRUST

CONSULTANT: DIALOG

CONTRACT TYPE: CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

PROJECT SIZE: 20,900 m2

LEED CERTIFICATION LEVEL: PLATINUM

The five-storey, student union building designed by DIALOG and B+H Architects received 75% of its

funding from the students, resulting in a unique design process where the union took on the role of

client, and student engagement became the driving factor from proponent selection through to

construction. The outcome of this heavily collaborative process is a sustainable, democratic hub and

campus centerpiece that serves as a testament to student life and engagement while establishing a new

standard for contemporary, institutional design.

FROM DESIGN CONCEPTION TO COMPLETION

To ensure that the technology-forward 250,000+ square foot building remained the focal point and

pulse of the campus community, several unique architectural elements were incorporated. The steel

highlights of the multi-purpose student agora environment include the Great Hall, the actual Nest, and

three stories of "floating" Stairs with two Stairwells. At completion, the new 45,000-strong student

population home was a total investment of $103 million and will open its doors in early 2015.

GREAT HALL

The Great Hall is an active and striking environment shaped by three commanding steel truss structures:

two large sections located on the east and west of the building, with a small truss at the south face.

Many challenges presented themselves to the teams. Due to the enormous total weight of the final

assembled trusses, the east and west trusses at 80 tons each and the south truss at 30 tons. Multiple

cranes were required to lift the truss components up onto 30-foot temporary shores, starting with the

bottom chord members, where the workers would splice the trusses together in situ. Once elevated, the

exacting tolerance for a precision-above-ground-fit showcased the skill of the steel fabrication, and the

craftsmanship and safety standards of the teams during this demanding construction assembly. The

Great Hall also possessed limited field access and positioning of heavy machinery. The placement of

tower and hammerhead cranes presented ongoing challenges throughout the construction of the Great

Hall. During the erection of the Great Hall, it was necessary for the mobile cranes and the hammerhead

cranes to be positioned in such a way as to enable the hammerhead cranes to continue servicing other

on-site work. During some phases of the installation, three cranes were utilized to create a coordinated

lift.

THE NEST

The structural design concept of an actual "Nest-Like" steel structure was created within the student

union building. The virtual "building within a building" houses a theatre and student lounge with

numerous places for students to relax, rejuvenate and re-engage with their peers. Upon entering the

New SUB, students are drawn to a floating "Nest-Like pod" hovering dozens of feet in the air and

balanced on three main, slender steel support columns and beams with the floor structure composed of

a labyrinth of steel.

The New SUB building was erected in a specific sequence starting with the Nest lounge structure, with

all remaining structural components being built around it. The Nest’s core floor structural framing is

comprised of a labyrinth of moment connected, cantilevered, heavy steel beams and curved and tapered

edge members to facilitate the nest shape of the underbelly of the structure.

THE STAIRWAYS

Gracing the agora entrance are three stories of steel and glass stairways, which have the illusion of

floating skyward. To maintain tolerance and fit, yet utilizing no visual supports, the floating stairway

construction required concurrent integration of large embedded steel HSS struts with ongoing concrete

work to achieve the suspended effect. The New SUB features two of these interior stairways, and one

on the exterior transporting the students upward to the second, third and fourth floors in a magical and

seemingly effortless manner.

ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES

The New SUB design, fabrication and field installation posed many unique challenges in addition to the

obstacles mentioned. For all teams involved, these challenges included coordination of concrete, glass,

wood and steel, and concurrent design modifications. Due to stringent safe work procedures during the

above ground truss splicing on temporary shores, limitations were implemented regarding the size and

the scope of machinery, and the safety of trades people, students and all stakeholders. With zero

tolerance for error, the teams collaborated the 3D modeling, designing, fabricating and erecting in

synchronization to achieve a viable, cost-effective solution. To ensure the IDP was respected and

achieved, continuous assessments were conducted in tandem amongst welding inspectors, consultant

inspectors, and the Wesbridge internal review inspector.

HOW DOES THE STRUCTURE FIT INTO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AND / OR ENVIRONMENT?

The lively and engaging new home for students incorporated a pre-existing grassy knoll into the

entrance by reflecting the outside knoll with tiered risers on the inside of the towering glass façade. This

knoll had been a gathering place for students and as part of the criteria noted in the architectural design

competition, it was imperative that the grassy knoll was retained, and the trees and surrounding

landscape were used as inspiration when designing and constructing the New SUB’s awe-inspiring 360

degree views.

ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATIONS:

The floating Nest-Like lounge, hovering staircases with pathways to blue skies and gathering spaces

which mirror the outside environment’s knoll to the inside of the New SUB have all contributed to the

architectural innovations. With glulam truss roof design and CLT panels, echoing the mountain range of

the North Shore peaks, and the bold vertical design of windows offering spectacular views bringing the

outside in, the 2015 UBC New SUB building has become the recognized industry benchmark for a

student agora.

ENGINEERING INNOVATIONS

Innovative to this building was the construction of a 30 ft. deep truss in excess of 80 tons each in total

weight, assembling the truss in situ which created enormous challenges in placement, sequencing,

alignment and fit of structure, and which demonstrated the superb craftsmanship in steel modeling,

fabrication, erection and installation.

The New SUB has unique, long, straight and curved runs of steel guard railings, totaling several hundred

metres in length, with over 50 tonnes of steel that require a high quality finish, tolerance and

craftsmanship to properly enhance the space. The rails serve both form and function.

ENGINEERING COMPLEXITY

The Nest lounge is a cantilevered structure balanced on three slender posts. The cantilever construction

allows for the overhanging Nest to be assembled without external bracing from a central triangle, thus

giving the Nest the appearance of a suspended pod. Seismic restraint is provided by HSS tubing

extending well through the bridges into the floor slab. The complexity of the engineering was in realizing

the vision of all teams, and utilizing the strength, flexibility and weight of steel as one of the primary

building materials.

WAS IT A LEED PROJECT?

The New SUB was targeting LEED platinum certification with numerous environmentally sustainable

initiatives including and not limited to: FSC sourced wood, Portland limestone cement (which reduced

CO2 emissions), minimizing the energy (through daily light harvesting) and incorporating recycled

materials consumed in the building and operations. During the creation of the community-based

building, the New SUB aimed for LEED platinum standard, adhering to an energy smart policy and the

highest levels of sustainable building design, and to become one of the highest rated LEED green

buildings in North America.

The New SUB utilized 85% - 90% recycled steel, laminated glued wooded beams, and will produce

organic vegetables on the 10,750 square foot roof garden, partially supplying the in-house food venues.

INNOVATIVE DESIGN, TECHNOLOGIES AND STANDARDS TO MINIMIZE ITS IMPACT ON THE

ENVIRONMENT AND THE USE OF ENERGY

The intended sustainable plan includes water reuse, renewable energy, recycled materials, solar lighting

and more. From daylight harvesting systems to real time energy monitoring for students, to long-term

roof moisture and leak detection strategies, the New SUB contains the key drivers for innovative design,

technologies and standards. The features have directly minimized the impact on the environment, the

people and the community at large.

UCB Campus Aerial View

UBC Campus Plan

SUB Location Map

Floor plan of SUB Atrium Level

Indoor-Outdoor Communication

Floor plan of SUB Atrium Level, close-up.

Sustainable building features include a high-performance cladding system and triple glazing to ensure

low energy consumption, resulting in the SUB using a fraction of the energy of a conventional building.

A high-performance solar roof produces energy and heat, as well as cooling.

To nurture economic sustainability, the multi-purpose site houses a myriad of functions from student

club rooms, food and beverage, retail, daycare, meeting rooms, a 3-storey indoor climbing wall and a

multi-purpose event space. The student-run pub and eatery program, one of the union’s main revenue

drivers, even utilizes products grown directly on the building’s green roof.

Ensuring it would remain future-proof was a priority and many aspects of the design are moveable,

reconfigurable, de/reconstructible systems to allow flexibility to respond to short-term changes (hours,

days, months, etc). Durable materials and non-prescriptive elements allow for adaptation to occur over

longer timescales. The skillful combination of the two provides a robust and nimble capacity to respond

to the challenges of designing for unknowable futures.

In terms of social sustainability and establishing a distinct sense of place, the AMS Nest’s site is

strategically programmed to respond to the campus mater plan, and tailored to integrate the existing

and iconic grassy “knoll” on UBC’s campus. Rich woods, and warm materials define the interior palate,

while the layout is centered on a classical “agora” as a nod to the building’s democratic design process.

Langara

Student Union Building

Project Description


Owner: Langara College Area: 17900.0 sqm Project Year: 2009 Architects: Teeple Architects in association with IBI/HB Architects Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada The new Langara Student Union is designed as a focal point and center of the main quad at Langara College. It flows out from between two existing buildings bringing students from the 49th Street entrance into the heart of the campus and public square - drawing life into the outdoor space. The architecture solidifies the dynamics of this flow - capturing its energetic movement in built form. An outdoor accessible ramp brings students from the street to the heart of the campus without passing through the building, thus allowing 24 hour access. The vibrant program of the Student Union is distributed along its edges, animating the quad with indoor and outdoor student activity. Both the College and the Students sought an innovative approach to sustainability from the outset of the design process. The design of the building is a unique response to energy use in buildings that is based on designing a heat reclaim system first - ensuring that no heat is

rejected from the building until there is more thermal energy in the building than it needs, and no heat is added to the building until it has reused all of its own thermal energy. The result is a reduction in energy use and green house gas emissions without a large capital cost. In this system all internal energy is reused before any energy is drawn from its ground source system. The result is an extraordinary level of energy efficiency, resulting in 10/10 LEED energy points and LEED Gold status. The LSU is both an energy hub and an exciting new locus of student activity on the Langara campus. The design and construction of the new LSU Student Centre at Langara College marks the second phase in an ongoing transformation of the college into a Sustainable campus, as prescribed in the Master Plan completed by the architectural team. The new project employs a unique Direct Energy Transfer system stores energy and moves it throughout the buildings to areas where it is required for heating and cooling, making the completed buildings amongst the most energy efficient buildings in the country.

student union building sample part 1

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