LMN Architects announce groundbreaking of the new Clemson University College of Business
MBA Blog / 7th November 2017
LMN Architects announce the groundbreaking of Clemson University’s $87 million, 170,000-square-foot College of Business, which ushers in a new era for one of the fastest-growing disciplines on campus. The facility replaces Sirrine Hall, built in 1938, with a state-of-the-art building that promotes collaboration, research, interaction with industry, and the flexibility to adapt to ongoing advances in technology and 21st century learning. LMN designed the project in partnership with LS3P, the local Architect of Record.
“Clemson has taken a huge step as a world-class institution by growing its business education capabilities,” says Business School Dean Bobby McCormick. “This new facility will shine an even brighter light on our ability to promote leadership, innovation and entrepreneurial skills.”
The five-story College of Business creates a gateway for Clemson that sets a precedent for social and intellectual interaction. The first new academic building on historic Bowman Field in over 100 years, it establishes a 24/7 hub for student activities and anchors Clemson’s historic heart as the centerpiece for a new North Academic Precinct. The building is conceived as a think-tank environment with a variety of spaces for active learning, including technology-equipped classrooms, learning labs, study lounges, and a café, as well as faculty and departmental offices. Additionally, a 220-seat, flat-floor auditorium, business center and incubator space encourage entrepreneurial pursuits that attract business partners.
“This new home for our outstanding College of Business is a key component of the university’s ongoing efforts to keep Clemson among the very best public universities in the country,” says ClemsonPresident James P. Clements. “We look forward to breaking ground on what will become one of the finest business education facilities in the country.”
Composed of two glass and brick towers nestled into a hillside, the complex features a five-story atrium providing daylight, views and connections to a vibrant network of learning opportunities, inside and outside the classroom. The towers are linked by a grand public stair that engages students at multiple levels and culminates at a new plaza in the campus core. The lower two levels connect beneath the grand stair, creating a cohesive instructional zone.
“Dean McCormick challenged the design team to create a “magnetic home” for all students,” says LMN Partner Rafael Vinoly-Menendez. “By cultivating the overlap of learning, research and service, the new College of Business will inspire students to linger and interact in un-programmed ways, enriching Clemson’s commitment to economic and social advancement.”
The building’s exterior expression both honors the past and looks to the future, its brick façade respecting the larger historic context, while the expansive glazing reflects the college’s contemporary function and programming. Modern construction technology allows for maximizing transparency without compromising energy efficiency.
