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
University Buildings | Dec 4, 2017
The University of Nebraska’s new College of Business building highlights entrepreneur alumni and corporate leaders
Numerous storytelling spaces and displays are located throughout the building.
Wood | Nov 30, 2017
The first large-scale mass timber residence hall in the U.S. is under construction at the University of Arkansas
Leers Weinzapfel Associates, Modus Studio, Mackey Mitchell Architects, and OLIN collaborated on the design.
University Buildings | Nov 28, 2017
FXFOWLE and CO Architects collaborate on Columbia University School of Nursing building
The building has a ‘collaboration ribbon’ that runs throughout the building.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Nov 27, 2017
The University of Memphis unveils the new home of the men’s basketball program
The Laurie-Walton Family Basketball Center will provide a strong commitment to donor and VIP cultivation.
Adaptive Reuse | Nov 10, 2017
Austin’s first indoor shopping mall becomes Austin Community College’s new digital media center
Renovation of the defunct mall represents Phase 2 of ACC’s $100 million adaptive reuse project.
University Buildings | Nov 6, 2017
A reconstructed building sets the standard for future rehabs at Cornell
Early AE collaboration played a major role in moving this project forward efficiently.
University Buildings | Oct 13, 2017
The University of Oklahoma receives its first residential colleges
The residential communities were designed by KWK Architects and combine living and learning amenities.
University Buildings | Oct 12, 2017
USC to debut new bioscience center next month
The building is designed to maximize recruitment and interaction of scientists and researchers.
University Buildings | Oct 12, 2017
The Center for Wounded Veterans is a first for a university campus
The Chez Family Foundation Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education is the first building of its kind on a U.S. college campus.
University Buildings | Oct 10, 2017
A 1920s cheese factory is now a university science building
Almost 15,000 sf of space was added to the original, four-story building.
