Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Northern Arizona University: Student and Academic Services

  • 03/01/18
Northern Arizona University

PHOTOS © KYLE ZIRKUS PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF DWL ARCHITECTS

Situated within the largest stand of Ponderosa pine forest in the world, Northern Arizona University’s Student and Academic Services (SAS) building in Flagstaff is a 94,444-square-foot, four-story, LEED Gold accredited building designed by DWL Architects + Planners.

Centrally located, the site is adjacent to public transportation and all campus amenities. The facility houses a medley of academic and administrative programs which include a one-stop shop for current and perspective student services, Undergraduate Admissions, Office of the Registrar, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts, among others. It is also home to the Lumberjack Mathematics Center (LMC), a program that combines in-class and multimodal laboratory instruction facilitated by a 250 work-station lab. The LMC features reconfigurable classrooms equipped with the latest multimedia and social media interfaces and a testing center.

In addition, the SAS building houses conference rooms, independent study areas, department and faculty offices, and numerous private and semi-private spaces for self-study or collaborative sessions.

The facility’s development and resulting design emphasize a three-tier functional and circulation hierarchy that promotes the logical and efficient organization of the spatial requirements inherent in such a diverse program. The architectural character of the SAS building celebrates the unique attributes of its surrounding natural and institutional environments. Specifically, the building’s exterior draws its inspiration from the biologic forms of northern Arizona’s ponderosa pine forest and the contextual character of the existing campus architecture. Internal spaces employ distinctive volumes, natural forms, inductive circulation, and local colors to foster a sense of place unique within the academic environment in which it is located.

The furnishings were carefully chosen for their abilities to facilitate student-centric services and to encourage a diverse range of opportunities for personalized learning. The design was carefully executed to fulfill one or more of the project’s established program goals for its functional, aesthetic, and sustainable properties.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management March 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Embry-Riddle Completes Construction on Research, Lab Facility

    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced the end of construction on a new research and lab facility on campus. The Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II) will support aerospace research and technology development and broke ground last summer.

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.

  • UCF Modernizes College of Hospitality Management

    The University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla., recently completed a major renovation effort for the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, according to a news release. The project modernized 77,600 square feet worth of academic classrooms, teaching labs, and collaborative spaces to support both students and faculty.

  • Rethinking K-12 Schools as a Continuous Learning Experience

    Most students move through three or more separate facilities during their K-12 journey, yet the built environments they encounter at each stage have traditionally been designed in isolation, with little continuity in spatial language, learning philosophy, or physical resources. Each new school is a reset with different layouts, learning models, expectations, and ways of moving through a building. The next generation of school design is making the case that the first day of kindergarten and the last day of high school can and should feel connected through common support systems and infrastructure in the physical environment.