The new Student Activities Center will be an L-shaped design fronting on Lake Osceola with a wing leading back alongside Gusman Hall toward the Law School. The facility is designed to work in conjunction with the existing University Center, Patio, Pool, and other outdoor spaces to create a comprehensive student center complex. The design of the Student Activities Center will diminish the separation between interior and exterior spaces by taking advantage of the unique climate of South Florida, and offers vistas of the lush tropical campus.
Lead Architect: Arquitectonica, Miami, Florida
Associate Architect: WTW, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Program and Planning Consultants: Brailsford and Dunlavey, Washington, DC
Funding: Combination of Student Fees, University of Miami, and Contributions
Student Fee: self-assessed, voted on in 2006 during a campus-wide referendum including Undergraduate, Graduate, and Law students, passed with 84% “yes” votes
Scope of Project: Phased project to include construction of the new Student Activities Center building, renovation/expansion of existing University Center, and redesign of main UC Patio to create a comprehensive Student Center
119,368 square feet
Located on the shore of Lake Oscola on the site of the former Rathskeller
LEED certification anticipated
3 floors (plus 4th floor for building mechanicals)
General facility layout:
New two-story Rathskeller
Lakefront retail shops
Law School Student Organization Suite
Graduate Student Association Offices
Undergraduate Student Organizations Offices and Suite, to include Undergraduate Student Government
Student Affairs Offices, including Student Activities and Organizations and Butler Center
Media Center for Miami Hurricane, IBIS Yearbook, and Law School Student Publications
Ballroom/Multi-Purpose room seating 800+
Pre-function/Reception area
Five Meeting Rooms
Lounges and informal gathering spaces
Outdoor patios and plazas to complement Rathskeller and SAC functions
Open Interactive Construction Timeline