study spaces

Lacy School of Business

The design features innovative spaces for experiential learning, including: flexible classrooms where local professionals teach workplace-style classes, centers staffed by organizations that involve students in research and outreach, and collaborative workspaces where students develop their own business in concert with experts from the region. The building represents Butler’s competitive distinction from its peer institutions by making activities and interaction immediately visible and central to students’ experience. The design provides visibility by creating transparent spaces that invite participation in central locations around the multi-story atrium at the heart of the building. In addition, the central, broad, open stairs and generous balconies encourage creative collisions as students, faculty, and visitors move and interact throughout the building.

The Innovation Commons, which opens onto the central atrium, is equipped for students to start and run their own businesses as well as a wide range of other types of experiential learning. The Centers, distributed around the main level, provide space where business professionals, faculty, and students work together to solve business challenges. Glass overhead doors open to connect to the atrium and convey the importance and vitality of that work to the school and its guests.

The Butler Business School is named in honor of Andre B. Lacy, a local, successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, as well as a committed family man and daring adventurer. CSO’s interior design studio honored his life with a series of installations that incorporate a collection of custom-designed icons representing his many facets. The icons appear throughout the building as design elements in areas such as the rug in the main atrium and small medallions that are hidden throughout the building. A timeline of his life takes the form of 25 envelopes, connecting his first job in a mailroom and the endowment gift, reminding students that their humble beginnings can build to something great. The design team also featured objects that were important to Lacy – the time clock Lacy once used to clock into his job and the motorcycle he rode across continents. These were both gifts from the family who were intimate collaborators on the project. The conference table in the board room adjacent to the Dean’s office features the Lacy family knot and is a duplication of a table that exists at Lacy’s corporate headquarters.

Located in a prominent place on the campus, visible from the east entrance, the building completes the cross axis of the original campus masterplan. The building’s vertical towers and active silhouette reflect the characteristics of the much-loved historic campus. The building replaces a parking lot and defines the intersection of the two major green spaces at the center of the campus. CSO completed this project in collaboration with Goody Clancy.

Honors College and Residences

Purdue University envisioned an interdisciplinary living-learning community that would serve as a centralized hub for the students, administration, and academic spaces associated with their Honors College program. As their only academic residential college, the University’s goal was to provide students with an environment purposefully designed for state-of-the-art active learning.

The academic spaces consist of approximately 40,000 square feet to accommodate faculty and staff offices, classrooms, innovation space, and study spaces. Learning and leadership opportunities include a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and agriculture, math) research lab, active learning studios, and an Innovation Forum – featuring an interactive, programmable floor – provides a showcase for student projects.

The “Great Hall”, a flexible space that can be configured to seat more than 400 for lectures, presentations, and events, is the centerpiece of the Honors College. The space is located in the center of the community with access to a primary campus path and greenspace.

The two buildings that make up the community – each with academic space and residential space – are located within the University’s “student success corridor.” Over 800 students live in clusters of roughly 24 students in pod configurations complemented by community and social areas designed to foster informal interaction and collaboration.

Health Sciences Building

Part of the University’s efforts to economically revive the south side neighborhood and attract new students, the Health Sciences building provides a new gateway to campus and an integrated hub where faculty, students, and healthcare professionals can collaborate on education and research.

The new Health Sciences building is reflective of the University’s commitment to inspiring excellence by providing learning opportunities that respond in innovative ways to the needs of all students. The building design presents a transparent, flexible concept that allows for current and future needs of the programs housed within. The building’s prominent location creates an ideal venue for an outdoor seating and interaction area adjacent to the indoor café.

The building consolidates several departments into a collaborative and integrated learning environment that promotes intellectual and social interaction among students and faculty. Included in the design are teaching spaces, faculty areas, research labs, and wellness-related areas for the Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Kinesiology, and Psychology Programs.

Wells Quadrangle Residence Halls and Dining Facility

Wells Quadrangle is comprised of four buildings, including Memorial Hall and Goodbody Hall. The project involved repurposing both buildings from academic space to student housing. The University also wanted to determine the best location to accommodate a dining facility with an outdoor terrace. Originally, IU had targeted space in one of the other buildings in the quad, but a study led by CSO determined that an addition to Goodbody Hall would be the best solution to accommodate a 200-seat dining facility.

The design of the addition to Goodbody Hall required a solution that integrated seamlessly into the architectural character of Wells Quadrangle. The 1-story addition emerges from the base of the existing Goodbody Hall, and houses a dining area with open views toward the quad. A roof terrace above is accessed from both the exterior grade and the second level. This elevated terrace provides options for outdoor seating and a sweeping overlook to the quad.

The overall project required careful coordination to maximize usable space while accommodating updated MEP systems and the technology infrastructure demanded by today’s residence halls.

The renovation created accommodations for 174 students. The room configuration is comprised of a mix of 2-bedroom apartments, 2-bedrooms suites, single rooms, and double rooms. A variety of restroom configurations are available depending on the room type.