Building type(s): Assembly, Other, Higher education
33% new construction, 67% renovation
151,000 ft2 (14,000 m2)
Project scope: a single building
Urban setting
Completed January 2007
Tulane University's new university center embodies the environmental goals not only of its designers, but also of the students, faculty, and administrators at the school. The new center is built on the same site as the old university center, which was stripped to its concrete structure, expanded by 33%, and redesigned with a variety of environmental systems.
The design process for the building began in 1998, when the university received a donation from the Bernick and Lavin family. After a groundbreaking in 2003, construction was stalled by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when the site was covered in two feet of water. Nevertheless, the project was completed in January 2007 at a cost of just $189 per square foot. The new university center serves not only as a hub for the campus community, but also as a model of environmentally friendly design for the city.
Environmental Aspects
Unlike the old university center, which was mechanically cooled year-round, the new building was designed to be passively cooled for five months out of the year. The project team looked to the local vernacular for regionally appropriate, passive strategies. Inspired by traditional New Orleans design solutions, the project encourages social mixing and combines daylighting with shading and ventilation. Balconies, canopies, shading systems, and courtyards create layered spaces while permitting variable exchanges of air, light, and activities.
These passive strategies were supplemented with innovative active systems, including extensive radiant cooled surfaces, customized ventilation systems, and systems for creating variable shade depending on needs.
Owner & Occupancy
Owned and occupied by Tulane University, Corporation, nonprofit
Typically occupied by 110 people, 40 hours per person per week; and 7,000 visitors per week, 1 hour per visitor per week
