― Student Success Centers and Unions
Places that shape student experience and success
Contents
Introduction ― 4 Selected Projects ― 8
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Student Success Centers and Unions
From crafting of environments to shaping of experiences. A great student life building is a unique symbol of the values, aspirations, culture, history, and traditions of the university, both in philosophy and in form. Creating a lasting beacon of institutional values can be an important tool in student recruitment and retention, a bricks-and-mortar representation of how an institution treats and regards its students.
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A Common Ground
Centralizing Support
Defining Success
Student Centers and Unions
Student Success Centers can
Programs dedicated to holistic
provide a unique sense of
significantly increase student
student success and well-being
community that is comfortable,
persistence and graduation
are becoming the most in
flexible, welcoming, and inviting
rates. These centers can
demand service on campuses.
– and are the one place on
centralize a variety of services,
Whether bringing services
campus where everyone wants
including tutoring, academic
together, distributing spaces
to see and be seen. These are
advising, career counseling,
across campus or buildings, or
often the only places on campus
writing labs, and mental health
incorporating holistic design
that is not controlled or owned
referrals, addressing multiple
strategies that make support
by a dean, a college, or a school
student needs in a holistic way.
more visible and accessible,
– it’s controlled by the students
By facilitating communication
institutions are increasingly
and is literally the common
between faculty, advisors,
investing ways to meet students
ground of the institution.
and other support services,
where they are and respond to
these facilities enable students
what they need.
to receive coordinated and consistent support. 5
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― Student Success Centers and Unions
Select Projects
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University of Westminster, New Student Hub London, England Client: University of Westminster Size: 5,519 square metres Completion Date: 2028 Sustainability: Targeting BREEAM Outstanding
― WHAT IT IS
This new heart for the Cavendish Campus establishes a benchmark for sustainable, student-centred design—bringing learning, support, community, and nature together in one transformative place.
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The building will also provide student exhibition and event spaces, alongside meaningful landscaped external areas in a part of London with limited access to nature.
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Bentley University Student Center Expansion and Renovation Waltham, Massachusetts Client: Bentley University Size: 28,400 gross square feet (2,638 square meters) Completion Date: 2015
The concept for the structure and organization of the project was to maintain the playful series of forms in the existing building, while shifting the configuration from roofscape to plan form.
― WHAT IT IS
A blend of new construction and renovation creating a new home for student life on campus.
Bentley University, Student Center
As a business school, Group Study spaces are important to Bentley’s student culture, and are designed with an interior character befitting today’s workplace environment.
― WHAT MAKES IT COOL
A renovation and expansion that integrates deep brand quality honoring Bentley’s unique location and history.
University of Massachusetts Lowell, Meehan Student Center Lowell, Massachusetts Client: Lowell, Massachusetts Size: 230,000 square feet (21,368 square meters) Completion Date: 2014 Sustainability: LEED Silver Awards: People’s Choice Award, IFMA Awards, 2015
― WHAT IT IS
A vibrant campus hub and home to student life and the UMass Lowell community.
University of Massachusetts Lowell, University Crossing
― WHAT MAKES IT COOL
The lantern is a sculptural reinterpretation of the looms in the old textile mills that once powered the city of Lowell.
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University of Kentucky, Gatton Student Center Lexington, Kentucky Client: University of Kentucky Size: 378,000 square feet (35,117 square meters) new: 278,000 square feet renovated: 100,000 square feet Completion Date: 2018 Sustainability: LEED Silver Awards: Facility Design Award of Excellence, Association of College Unions International (ACUI) , 2019 Partners: Omni Architects
― WHAT IT IS
A revitalization of the original 1938 Student Center into stateof-the-art student organization and meeting space and transformation of the 1924 Alumni Gym into a dynamic fitness and recreation center.
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University of Kentucky, Gatton Student Center
― WHAT MAKES IT COOL
Forming a connecting link between downtown Lexington and the campus, the multi-level activity hub creates an indoor extension of the outdoor plaza.
Colorado State University, Lory Student Center Revitalization Fort Collins, Colorado Client: Colorado State University Size: 230,000 square feet (21,368 square meters) Completion Date: 2014 Sustainability: LEED Silver Awards: b.o.b Forum Design Award for Education & Research, IIDA Georgia, 2016 Facility Design Award of Excellence,Association of College Unions International (ACUI), 2015 Partners: Aller Lingle Massey
― WHAT IT IS
One of the most active and inclusive student centers in the country.
RESIZE IMAGE(S) TO FIT YOUR CONTENT, BUT MAKE SURE THERE’S ADEQUATE WHITE SPACE (AT LEAST 18PTS) BETWEEN ELEMENTS
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Colorado State University, Lory Student Center Revitalization
― WHAT MAKES IT COOL
The expansion of this 1962 mid-century building respects its architectural heritage while integrating new iconic features.
Eastern Washington University, Pence Union Building Renovation Cheney, Washington Client: Eastern Washington University Size: 123,000 square feet (11,427 square meters) Completion Date: 2018 Sustainability: LEED Certified Awards: Citation Award, AIA Washington Council Citation Award, 2019 Citation Award, Boston Society of Architects, Educational Facilities, 2019 Citation Award , AIA New England Design Award, 2020
― WHAT IT IS
Uniting two existing eras of the union, the new “seam” creates a main street connecting the campus mall to the south with the flow of traffic from transit, athletics, and residential halls to the north.
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Eastern Washington University, Pence Union Building Renovation
― WHAT MAKES IT COOL
Transparency, visibility, and daylit spaces make the new union a welcoming place to eat, study, and gather.
University of North Texas University Union Renovation + Addition Denton, Texas Client: University of North Texas Size: 313,000 square feet (29,079 square meters) new: 112,700 square feet renovated: 180,000 square feet Completion Date: 2016 Sustainability: LEED Registered Awards: Facility Design Award of Excellence, Association of College Unions International (ACUI), 2017 Gold Design Award, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), May 2016 Best of the Year in Brand and Graphic Design, Interior Design Magazine, December 2016
― WHAT IT IS
The renovation and expansion is a powerful transformation of a “concrete bunker” into a welcoming beacon of student life.
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University of North Texas, University Union Renovation + Addition
― WHAT MAKES IT COOL
The union features UNT branded elements throughout that celebrate the university’s history, alumni, heritage, and artifacts. 33
Missouri State University Robert Gourley Student Success Center Springfield, Missouri Client: Missouri State University Size: 120,000 square feet (11,148 square meters) new 40,000 square feet renovated 80,000 square feet Completion Date: 2017 Sustainability: Designed to LEED Silver (client chose not to pursue certification) Awards: 2018, Public Recognition Award, AIA Springfield Partners: Dake Wells
― WHAT IT IS
A a beacon of educational innovation and student success.
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Missouri State University Robert Gourley Student Success Center
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Student Success Centers and Unions
Insightful design creates a representational symbol of a university’s “institutional DNA.” It creates much more than just another building on campus; it establishes a living heart of campus life that will anchor the education of students for generations to come.
Tarrant County College District Southeast Campus, Student Success and Learning Commons Arlington, Texas
Simon Fraser University, Student Union Building Burnaby, British Columbia
East Carolina University, Main Campus Student Center
University of Washington, Husky Union Building
Greenville, North Carolina
Seattle, Washington
David Damon Global Higher Education Practice Leader, Principal +1 617.406.3481 david.damon@perkinswill.com 225 Franklin Street Suite 700 Boston, MA 02110