Commercial Architecture October 2016 - 6

DEPARTMENT the architects Responsive Facilities Meet Higher-Ed Challenges Carefully planned additions and strategic expansions better serve a diverse and value-oriented generation of students. Ray Varela, Design Principal Carrier Johnson + CULTURE C The updated library at California State Univ., Dominguez Hills, accommodates 1,600 new reader stations and nearly 250 computer workstations while showcasing artwork that reflects the region's multicultural population. hallenges facing U.S. universities and colleges accommodates 1,600 new reader stations and nearly small-footprint "micro-dorms" in new or retrofitted today are significant, ranging from issues of 250 computer workstations, as well as study rooms, buildings, leaving extra space for shared study and affordability and access to greater diversity book stacks, and state-of-the-art archival storage and lounge zones. Examples include the Univ. of British and a push for innovation. Fewer students are finishing research. Just as important, the facility's events center Columbia in Vancouver, which is building new, fur- their college degrees, and only about four of 10 full- and art gallery showcase works that reflect the region's nished student apartments smaller than 150 sq. ft. time, first-time students nationally earn a bachelor's de- multicultural population. gree in four years. Can new facilities-and better uses of existing buildings and grounds-be part of a solution? Contrast this with the Univ. of California, San Di- The CSU Dominguez Hills library dean said the ex- ego, where recent residential projects for its Village at pansion "represents so much more than the traditional Torrey Pines offer large, apartment-style units with mod- We've seen proof that they can. Community-col- academic library. We note our tremendous diversity as ern amenities and a sleek design aesthetic. Designed as lege expansion projects, in recent years, have created a signature of our campus, and we now have a building transfer-student housing, the "eco-flats" residences are facilities that bridge the divide between full-time and that is an artistic showcase of our many cultures." competitive with area market-rate offerings, giving the part-time students and between commuting students and those taking online courses. At public universities, university flexibility in the face of future demographic LABS AND DORMS shifts. Most important, the UCSD residential zone is there's fresh evidence that innovation in residential life, These projects must deliver daylight, outdoor views, with more attractive offerings for freshmen and transfer and other ways to comfort students. Art and nature in- students, boosts retention rates. Academic settings are formed the approach for a science center at Point Loma Today's higher-education leaders continue to do diversifying, too, helping private and public institutions Nazarene Univ., where new labs and classrooms em- more with less, creating innovative and magnetic new stand out and create memorable college experiences. infused with art, dining options, community spaces, and amenities, making it a real village. brace a landscaped area for students to meet and relax. learning environments that add value to today's college One planning strategy is merging new buildings An iconic addition to the coastal campus, the building experience. CA with existing facilities to create special synergies or re- features an elevated walkway behind a long arc of per- inforce the school's mission. An example can be found forated stainless-steel panels spanning its full length, near Los Angeles at California State Univ., Dominguez filtering sun and shade into a common area-a subtle Hills, which ranked second in a 2015 list of the 100 most echo of a cathedral space, apt for the school's religious affordable U.S. universities. There, university leaders mission. The feathered panels also protect the glass fa- envisioned a new south wing of its Leo F. Cain Univer- cades from the sun's glare and heat. for its science department and record of successful Interview With Ray Varela placements into medical schools. Learn more about responsive campus sity Library that would create a strikingly contemporary Most important, new majors and collaborative re- expansion to contrast with the 1960s-era modernist sur- search opportunities are housed in the science complex, roundings, yet fit in naturally and comfortably. enhancing Point Loma Nazarene Univ.'s high rankings Flanked by two major pedestrian walkways, the updated library anchors the academic corridor of the campus. As it doubles the capacity of the original library, In addition to academic facilities making campus the five-story addition also bridges the divide between life remarkable, new ideas for residential life are spread- old and new. Inside, a dramatic new learning space ing across the country. At one end of the spectrum are 6 COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE OCTOBER 2016 Ray Varela is a leading practitioner in higher-education architecture and campus life. He is a design principal and project leader at the global firm Carrier Johnson + CULTURE, a San Diego design and strategic branding practice known for innovative building, living, and communications solutions. commercialarchitecturemagazine.com design in our interview with Ray Varela at commercialarchitecturemagazine.com/architects. http://www.commercialarchitecturemagazine.com/architects http://www.commercialarchitecturemagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture October 2016