A new Student Success Building will serve as the heart of the newly designed University of Louisville’s J.B. Speed School of Engineering. The 115,000-sf structure will greatly increase lab space and consolidate student services to one location.
Currently admissions counselors, academic counselors, tutors, student success coordinators, co-op counselors, and other support teams are located on different floors and in multiple buildings. The plan groups all the support teams into a single connected office suite. A central help desk at the main entrance will assist students to receive the most appropriate support services. Shared collaborative spaces will facilitate regular meetings among the different teams, and shared office support will streamline internal operations.
The new university building will serve as a valuable “home base” for students, especially during their first year. It will house classes, provide access to tutoring, enable meetings with academic and co-op counselors, host student success seminars, offer study spaces and meeting rooms for student groups, and feature an informal recreational area.
An engineering garage space will serve as a hub for hands-on learning and competition team activities. This area will provide ample room for students to work on projects, build prototypes, and conduct experiments. It will be equipped with specialized tools, machinery, and materials to support various engineering disciplines. The garage space will not only enhance students’ technical skills but also promote teamwork, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities. Engineering students will have the opportunity to participate in competitions, where they can apply their knowledge, learn from their peers, and showcase their innovations.
The second and third floors will house lab space for the university’s Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, where researchers will study solar power, green fuels, and materials. Construction is underway, with an expected completion date of summer 2025.
Owner and/or developer: University of Louisville
Design architect: SmithGroup
Architect of record: Luckett & Farley
MEP engineer: Luckett & Farley
Structural engineer: SmithGroup
General contractor/construction manager: Whittenberg Construction
Related Stories
K-12 Schools | Nov 10, 2021
K-12 school design innovation: 'Learning Everywhere' and the mobile classroom
Last September, AIA San Francisco awarded the Professional Category in its 2021 Future Classroom Competition to a five-person team from Culver City, Calif.-based Berliner Architects. The firm was selected for its “Learning Everywhere” idea that features a mobile strategy for education at school, home, on field trips, and in transit. BD+C's John Caulfield discuss that concept with Richard Berliner, AIA, Principal, Berliner Architects.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Oct 26, 2021
14 projects recognized by DOE for high-performance building envelope design
The inaugural class of DOE’s Better Buildings Building Envelope Campaign includes a medical office building that uses hybrid vacuum-insulated glass and a net-zero concrete-and-timber community center.
Education Facilities | Oct 20, 2021
Kenneth K.T. Yen Humanities Building completes for The Pennington School
Voith & Mactavish Architects designed the project.
| Oct 14, 2021
The future of mass timber construction, with Swinerton's Timberlab
In this exclusive for HorizonTV, BD+C's John Caulfield sat down with three Timberlab leaders to discuss the launch of the firm and what factors will lead to greater mass timber demand.
University Buildings | Sep 28, 2021
Designing for health sciences education: Specialty instruction and human anatomy labs
It is a careful balance within any educational facility to provide both multidisciplinary, multiuse spaces and special-use spaces that serve particular functions.
| Sep 20, 2021
K-12 school design trends for 2021, with Wold's Vaughn Dierks
K-12 school design exert Vaughn Dierks discusses the latest K-12 school design trends and needs.
Education Facilities | Sep 7, 2021
High-rise public school set for construction in Boston
HMFH is designing the project.
Laboratories | Aug 31, 2021
Pandemic puts science and technology facilities at center stage
Expanding demand for labs and life science space is spurring new construction and improvements in existing buildings.
Giants 400 | Aug 30, 2021
2021 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
The 2021 Giants 400 Report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Giants 400 | Aug 26, 2021
2021 University Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the higher education sector
Gensler, AECOM, Turner Construction, and CannonDesign head BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest university sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.