The adaptive re-use of an existing office tower as a new business school for this urban university presented a major opportunity to consolidate education and support functions (currently located in three buildings on the campus) while integrating the school into the downtown fabric. The project establishes a northern gateway to the city's University District, helps build a "bridge" between "town and gown,” and prominently demonstrates the University's commitment to the surrounding neighborhood. 

The glass-encased front pavilion opens onto Broad Street and toward Washington Park and the city's downtown.  The new entrance pavilion contains lecture hall spaces too large to fit within the structural constraints of the existing office tower. This new pavilion serves most importantly as the new front door of the Business School.  At the same time, a renovation of floors 1-11 of the existing 17-story building creates new classroom, support, and office spaces.

The pavilion design resolves contradictory programmatic requirements by providing both large lecture hall spaces (which function best without windows) while allowing the Business School to have an open and inviting presence in its new surroundings.  The faceted mosaic form set back from the ultra-clear glass curtain wall defines the lecture hall's enclosure and serves as urban sculpture.  The atrium and grand stair unite upper-floor program functions such as classrooms, lounges, and the pavilion's terrace/green roof.  Most publicly accessed elements of the new Business School -- a cafe, admissions, and the trading room simulator -- are located on the ground floor to help create an inviting and active streetscape.