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 | Apr 28, 2017
Suburban Chicago college breaks ground on aviation-themed student center
The design of the center is meant to pay tribute to the university’s heritage in aviation and aeronautics.
University Buildings | Apr 26, 2017
UMass Amherst is home to America’s first CLT academic building
The building brings the architecture, landscape architecture, and building technology departments under one roof.
Sponsored | Ceilings | Apr 17, 2017
University of Toronto Scarborough Campus building meets aesthetic, performance and sustainability goals with Rockfon ceiling systems
The University of Toronto’s $52.5 million, 126,788-square-foot Environmental Science & Chemistry Building is the newest addition to the Scarborough campus in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Products and Materials | Mar 28, 2017
Mondopads highlight Portland State University’s new Decision Theater
A total of seven InFocus Mondopads were used in the room to accommodate large group work and individual study.
University Buildings | Mar 14, 2017
Fresh off NCAA national title, Clemson opens plush football operations complex
The 142,500-sf facility, which opened just three weeks after Clemson’s national championship win over the University of Alabama, adjoins the indoor practice facility and outdoor practice fields, consolidating football operations into one complex.
University Buildings | Mar 8, 2017
Massive mixed-use residential village on USC’s Los Angeles campus on schedule to open this fall
Prefabrication of the six buildings’ walls reduced construction time by a year.
School Construction | Feb 26, 2017
A new survey finds education construction activity going strong this year
Surveys of school districts and colleges, though, raise questions about financing for future projects.
University Buildings | Jan 10, 2017
UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Business to receive modern, twisted addition from BIG
The 70,000-sf building was developed in collaboration with Boston-based Goody Clancy.
University Buildings | Jan 9, 2017
Massive student housing project in Texas will be ready this Fall
Developers hope the early opening of some units sets the tone for the community and future rentals.
University Buildings | Dec 5, 2016
University of Chicago to open new education center in Hong Kong
The new facility will be named for University Trustee, Francis Yuen, and his wife Rose Wai Man Lee Yuen.
