The University of Cincinnati’s recently completed Clifton Court Hall unifies the school’s social science programs into a multidisciplinary research and education facility. The 185,400-sf structure is the university’s largest classroom building, serving its largest college, the College of Arts and Sciences.
Designed by LMN Architects in collaboration with KZF Design, the 185,400-sf, five-floor building unites academic units from various buildings across campus to create a new home for the College of Arts and Sciences. It brings together six departments, including faculty workspace, specialized lab spaces, administrative offices, classrooms, and a central social hub. The new building also acts as an arrival nexus that links the College to the campus core and the adjacent city neighborhood.
As a hub for student collaboration and learning, the building offers over 1,000 classroom seats in flexible flat-floor classrooms, seminar rooms, and a collaborative auditorium. The building also provides study, lab, and social spaces to support non-classroom learning. On the exterior, the terracotta-paneled façade complements the red brick of the prominent campus buildings.
Clifton Court Hall’s central, five-story atrium is infused with daylight from skylights and large north- and south-facing windows, which visually connect the building with the surrounding campus. The atrium serves as a hub for the College, fostering academic and social exchange in community and collaboration spaces and adjacent team rooms. A sculptural red stairway extends three stories diagonally through the atrium.
“The College of Arts & Sciences delivers curriculum to every student on the University of Cincinnati campus,” Susan Lowance, Principal, LMN Architects, said in a statement. “Every student will spend time here learning, researching, and engaging with the outside community, which makes it a building for the whole campus.”
On the Building Team:
Design architect: LMN Architects
Architect of record: KZF Design
Structural and civil engineer and MEP designer: Buro Happold
MEP engineer: IMEG Corp.
Landscape architect: MKSK
General contractor: Messer Construction
Related Stories
University Buildings | Nov 18, 2016
Stephen F. Austin State University’s new STEM building breaks ground
Kirksey Architecture designed the building that ‘will serve as a landmark for SFA.’
University Buildings | Oct 25, 2016
Columbia University dedicates its new campus with great fanfare
Transparency to the surrounding community played a big role in the campus’s design.
School Construction | Oct 23, 2016
As construction rebounds, education sector spending flattens
Post-recession slump suggests a settling in at a “normal” level similar to the mid aughts.
University Buildings | Oct 19, 2016
UC Merced to nearly double its size by 2020
Its growth strategy includes adding 1.2 million sf of space for teaching, housing, and research.
University Buildings | Oct 12, 2016
The new Hancher Auditorium opens on University of Iowa campus
The building replaces the previous Hancher, which was irreparably damaged in the 2008 flood.
University Buildings | Oct 11, 2016
The University of Iowa gets a new Visual Arts Building
The building was a collaborative effort between BNIM and Steven Holl Architects and marks the sixth facility the two firms have worked together on
Sponsored | University Buildings | Oct 3, 2016
Enhancing university life: The smart shower bead
Residential spaces that need to meet high traffic demands while accommodating an ever-changing populace creates a unique set of obstacles for any educational institution’s housing.
Sponsored | University Buildings | Sep 29, 2016
UWM’s Kenwood Interdisciplinary Research Complex: The most distinctive building on campus
The largest building on campus, it was designed by Flad Architects to comply with LEED Gold Certification standards and to meet a wide range of current and future academic needs.
University Buildings | Sep 12, 2016
The University of Chicago’s newest residence halls are designed to be more like home
Abundant common spaces give students more chances to interact.
University Buildings | Aug 17, 2016
Supporting communities of motivated learners: reflections on SCUP-51
The two themes that were consistently woven into different topics were institutional transformation and connection with students.
