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Design Guidelines and
Library Information & Technology Center
Starting with a blank slate may sound like an architect's dream, but perhaps the most important and challenging aspect of designing a brand new campus is giving it a strong sense of identity and place. SOM collaborated with Thomas Hacker Architects, EHDD Architecture, and Fernau & Hartman Architects to co-write the design guidelines that would establish a cohesive campus architecture without relying upon the imitation of any one design or style. The one constant throughout the guidelines is that all new buildings meet or exceed LEED® Silver criteria.
"We collectively decided that this really needed to be a campus that reflected the innovation and technology of the 21st century," said SOM Managing Director Carrie Byles. "We wanted to send a signal to the students that they have a strong future and will be empowered as they go forward."
Of the first four buildings on campus, SOM designed the Central Plant and—in association with Fernau & Hartman Architects—the Library & Information Technology Center. While the Central Plant embodies sustainability through energy conservation and pedagogy, the LITC addresses sustainability by seeking to maintain its relevance over time.
"One of the most sustainable concepts of all is to design a building that can be used for many decades to come," said Byles. "We have a very flexible open space with highly adaptable infrastructure, so hopefully the building will be able to accommodate whatever changes are necessary as the building and campus evolve."
This flexibility and diversity of uses is perhaps the crux of the Information Age library typology. Because students can do most of their research on laptops and mobile devices, SOM explored ways to attract students to the library to encourage chance encounters and dialogue, the social and intellectual lifeblood of any university.
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