2007 AIA Michigan Design Honor Award

 A. Alfred Taubman
Student Services Center
Southfield, Michigan

Jury Comment:
“The Center and the quadrangle provide a focal point for students, reenergizes a tired campus plan and beautifully unifies the surrounding unremarkable buildings.”

Project Description:

The new Student Services Center is designed to be the center of all student services for this private University and is directly linked to both the Management and Science Buildings to create a synergistic student resource hub. The building incorporates the collaborative, cross-functional approach the University has developed to enhance students’ educational experience. In addition, the Center combines formerly separated student support services—such as admissions, registrar, financial aid, student affairs, academic achievement, career services and alumni activities—into a “one stop” convenient location to better assist students.

The three-story, 42,000 sf Student Services Center has been positioned in the heart of the campus to create a new front door that reveals the constant activity associated with its use. Conceptually, a curved transparent glass wall embraces the students and campus as a grand gesture of welcome while simultaneously incorporating a new campus quadrangle design to seamlessly integrate the landscape and building into one unified composition.

The new quadrangle is defined by an elliptical bioswale that is reinforced by alternating silver light bollards and black granite benches carved with inspirational quotes which establish a “garden of light” powered by solar panels. A grove of Gingko trees are sprinkled throughout the green space and incorporates details such as the “circle of giving” center court and numerous flower gardens. Additional landscape features include a fountain rock plaza, an earth-integrated amphitheater/classroom, vest-pocket garden and an outdoor café to enhance the student experience on campus. All irrigation utilizes collected rainwater within the 12,000-gallon subterranean cistern.

The exterior of the building has been designed to reduce heat loss and maximize daylight without succumbing to excessive solar heat gain. Low-e glass with ceramic fritting is used in the two story atrium to allow for the building to take advantage of its southern exposure. The transparent atrium showcases the multiple levels of student activity during the day and becomes a glowing beacon of student resources at night. Corrugated silver metal siding wraps the remaining sides of the building and is used to relate to the adjacent University Technology and Learning Center.

The interior is both innovative and vibrant to reflect the student-focused environment. The structure and building systems are exposed and enhanced with indirect lighting serving as a unifying element throughout the mostly open workplace environment. Sealed concrete raised floor panels are used in major circulation areas with bold colored carpet tiles used in lounges and office areas. The primarily neutral environment is punctuated with color at help desk areas and places of destination to aid in wayfinding in a multi-resource facility.

Targeted for Silver LEED certification, the environmentally-friendly design incorporates geothermal energy (88 wells that run 300 feet into the earth), a 10,000 square-foot green vegetated roof, under floor air distribution, renewable woods, low emitting carpet and paints, and the utilization of a bioswale for storm water management. These components, integrated within the building design, will create, in essence, a perpetual field trip: a living laboratory that will provide educational research opportunities for students of architecture, interior design, engineering and construction management as well as the business community at large.
 

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