Middle Tennessee State University Academic Building
Large Project (over 25,000 sf)
The Academic Classroom Building serves as the hub for Psychology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice Administration departments and encourages interdisciplinary
engagement and interaction.
Awards Year | 2024
Project Statement
The Middle Tennessee State University’s newly constructed Academic Building, seamlessly blending into the campus landscape, is a modern facility anchoring the western part of campus to the expanded East Quad. Walls of ribbed metal panels define the vertical volume wrapping up and over the roof to enclose the building’s mechanical penthouse. Three floors of brick-clad faculty offices, office support, and administrative suites create a consistent rhythm of openings along the west and north facades. These building faces are articulated by inset student touchdown spaces, projected conference rooms, and study nooks. The Lecture Hall Lobby views the quadrangle and opens onto the building’s forecourt. Overlooking the campus and quadrangle, a series of lecture halls situated along the southern edge offer panoramic vistas. Adjacent to these halls, a new outdoor forecourt fosters outdoor learning and social gatherings, bordered by classrooms, department suites a lecture pre-function space and a stately freestanding brick and limestone colonnade.
The potential for campus-wide events on the quadrangle lawn, formal or informal gatherings in the building’s forecourt (defined by the building and a freestanding brick and limestone colonnade), collaboration or individual study in the building’s multi-leveled lobbies, and spontaneous instruction within the touchdown spaces throughout the building are all created to encourage cross discipline integration.
Framework for Design Excellence Narrative
Integration
Collaboration spaces that promote and encourage interdisciplinary teamwork and spontaneous interaction are intentionally placed throughout the building.
Well-Being
The center lecture hall is specifically designed as the building’s safe room in the event of severe weather.
Resources
The building is designed to be fully accessible, to meet and exceed the High Performance Building Requirements of the State of Tennessee, and to serve as an example for the maintainability standards of the campus.
LEED/Green Certifications
Photo Captions
1. The design reflects and expands upon the existing architectural language with a composition of durable and maintainable materials compatible with the campus to create a memorable and lasting enhancement.
2. A reserved interior finish palette consists of a core of Blue Raider blue walls complemented by off white and grey. Drywall walls are modulated throughout with accent reveals. This understated palette reinforces an intuitive and ordered wayfinding.
3. Varying length glass tubular lighting fixtures serve as sculpture within each building lobby and create the 30’ tall multi-fixture sculpture within the Oculus of the main lobby.
4. An acoustical ceiling and lighting grid system articulates the ceiling spaces.
5. The building is designed to be fully accessible, to meet and exceed the High Performance Building Requirements of the State of Tennessee, and to serve as an example for the maintainability standards of the campus.
