Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Facility Focus: WSU's Woolsey Hall Shapes Next Generation of Business Leaders

  • 10/12/23

Courtesy of Gensler

Home of The Barton School of Business, Woolsey Hall at Wichita State University (WSU) bridges the traditional academic campus with a newer complex of makerspaces, labs, and research facilities. Merging the interior with the exterior, the design exudes connectivity and cohesion, pulling campus paths through the building, and providing new gathering spaces for students from all departments.

The Barton School’s aim is to prepare students for future jobs through professional, real-world learning experiences, giving extra support to WSU’s notable percentage of first-generation students. With areas for collaboration, focus, and outdoor space, the design of the building reflects a sophisticated workplace, nodding to the aspirations of those working towards degrees in business.


Photos credit:©Jason O'Rear | Designed by Gensler in collaboration with GastingerWalker&

Materials celebrate the contrast of industry and nature. An outer zinc shell with interlocking panels wraps the building, inspired by the forms and textures of the aerospace industry, an integral part of the Wichita economy. An inner layer of wood wraps the façade and interior atrium, welcoming students and visitors into the school while expressing the golden color and texture of surrounding wheat fields.

Positioned at the edge of a lake, the building’s location and its organic form create an impactful juxtaposition to the modular, geometric housing facility nearby. A bridge serves as a literal and metaphorical path over the water. It symbolizes a student's journey from student to professional punctuated by a space to take in the view and celebrate academic milestones.

Featured

  • Hawaii Elementary School Breaks Ground on New Classroom Building

    Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii, recently began construction on a new, $16-million classroom building for its campus, according to a news release. The 13,000-square-foot building will stand two stories and connect the existing upper and lower campuses.

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • Texas District Breaks Ground on Second High School

    The Waller Independent School District in Waller, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for what will become its second high school, according to a news release.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.