A design-build partnership of Moore Ruble Yudell and McCarthy Building Companies will collaborate on a new business school building at the University of California at Riverside. The team was selected to design the new 63,000 sf building from a design competition. The structure is a key component for the school to accommodate rapidly growing enrollment—a 58% increase since 2015.
“This is the cornerstone in our plan to grow the UCR School of Business through new faculty, increased enrollment, and additional staff, and increase our engagement with the community through building a central hub for connection between business leaders, our research faculty, and our students,” said Yuzeng Wang, Dean of the Business School.
The new building will feature two 80-seat classrooms; a 350-seat auditorium; a computer lab; a studio to record podcasts, lectures, videos, and other media; study areas; a student lounge; 20 faculty offices; 59 administrative offices including one for the dean; a faculty and staff lounge; an executive meeting room, and group meeting rooms. It will also include state-of-the-art technology for hybrid learning, allowing lecturers to deliver multi-media presentations that can be recorded and streamed.
The structure will be the first new building in the south campus district, an area expected to see future growth. It has been designed to serve as a gateway and will integrate strong indoor-outdoor connections that harmonize the project to its site, district, and greater campus. A variety of outdoor spaces for student and faculty use as well as school events have been incorporated into the design.
“While the project supports future-oriented research and teaching, it is designed to be uniquely of its place, responsive to its site, campus, climate, and diverse student population,” said Jeanne Chen, FAIA, principal with Moore Ruble Yudell. “It respects its context and history while projecting boldly into the future, to support the school’s growth and leadership as an international center of excellence in business education and research.”
The project is scheduled to be completed by the fall semester of 2024. The business school at UCR is the largest in the University of California system.
On the Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: University of California Riverside
Design architect: Moore Ruble Yudell
Architect of record: Moore Ruble Yudell
MEP engineer: AEI Affiliated Engineers
Structural engineer: Coffman Engineers
General contractor/construction manager: McCarthy Building Companies
Related Stories
Student Housing | Jun 5, 2023
The power of student engagement: How on-campus student housing can increase enrollment
Studies have confirmed that students are more likely to graduate when they live on campus, particularly when the on-campus experience encourages student learning and engagement, writes Design Collaborative's Nathan Woods, AIA.
Urban Planning | Jun 2, 2023
Designing a pedestrian-focused city in downtown Phoenix
What makes a city walkable? Shepley Bulfinch's Omar Bailey, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA, believes pedestrian focused cities benefit most when they're not only easy to navigate, but also create spaces where people can live, work, and play.
Higher Education | May 24, 2023
Designing spaces that promote enrollment
Alyson Mandeville, Higher Education Practice Leader, argues that colleges and universities need to shift their business model—with the help of designers.
University Buildings | May 17, 2023
New UC Irvine health sciences building supports aim to become national model for integrative health
The new College of Health Sciences Building and Nursing & Health Sciences Hall at the University of California Irvine supports the institution’s goal of becoming a national model for integrative health. The new 211,660-sf facility houses nursing, medical doctorate, pharmacy, philosophy, and public health programs in a single building.
University Buildings | May 11, 2023
New ‘bold and twisting’ building consolidates School of Continuing Studies at York University
The design of a new building that consolidates York University’s School of Continuing Studies into one location is a new architectural landmark at the Toronto school’s Keele Campus. “The design is emblematic of the school’s identity and culture, which is centered around accelerated professional growth in the face of a continuously evolving labor market,” according to a news release from Perkins&Will.
Sustainability | May 11, 2023
Let's build toward a circular economy
Eric Corey Freed, Director of Sustainability, CannonDesign, discusses the values of well-designed, regenerative buildings.
Digital Twin | May 8, 2023
What AEC professionals should know about digital twins
A growing number of AEC firms and building owners are finding value in implementing digital twins to unify design, construction, and operational data.
University Buildings | May 5, 2023
New health sciences center at St. John’s University will feature geothermal heating, cooling
The recently topped off St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John’s University in New York City will feature impressive green features including geothermal heating and cooling along with an array of rooftop solar panels. The geothermal field consists of 66 wells drilled 499 feet below ground which will help to heat and cool the 70,000 sf structure.
Mass Timber | May 1, 2023
SOM designs mass timber climate solutions center on Governors Island, anchored by Stony Brook University
Governors Island in New York Harbor will be home to a new climate-solutions center called The New York Climate Exchange. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), The Exchange will develop and deploy solutions to the global climate crisis while also acting as a regional hub for the green economy. New York’s Stony Brook University will serve as the center’s anchor institution.
University Buildings | Apr 24, 2023
Solving complicated research questions in interdisciplinary facilities
University and life science project owners should consider the value of more collaborative building methods, close collaboration with end users, and the benefits of partners who can leverage sector-specific knowledge to their advantage.
