Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Technology Branded

  • 10/01/15
Bookstore

Bookstore

RENDERINGS COURTESY OF LEGAT ARCHITECTS

Located in the heart of one of the world’s great cities, the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is a vital part of the educational, technological and cultural fabric of the region. As Chicago’s only public research university with 28,000 students, 15 colleges, a hospital and a health sciences system, UIC provides its students with access to excellence and opportunity.

Integrated into a redesign undertaken earlier this year, a bright red “portal” just inside the UIC Bookstore now catches the eyes of passersby along Halsted Street. That portal leads to the revived UIC Bookstore where tablets, laptops and phone accessories gleam beside textbooks, stationery and UIC-branded clothing. Construction on the 3,000-square-foot renovation transformed the old bookstore into a vibrant new space. The facelift, designed by Legat Architects, brings to center stage the devices and digital media that have become an indelible part of students’ lives.

Vuk Vujovic, Legat Architects’ project manager, says, “The goal was to create a bright, modern, streamlined environment reflective of the technology-infused aesthetics that you’d find in a high-end retail environment.”

A low glass railing defines the space, while creating a subtle partition within the otherwise open store. High-end technology products, previously restricted to a couple tables pushed against a wall, have been moved front and center with display cases, power tables and accessory kiosks.

Grays and whites dominate the color scheme, while red accents appear in the portal and furnishings. Luxury vinyl tile flooring resembling concrete replaces tired carpet, and more efficient lighting brightens to space.

Flat screens cover the back technology wall. This collaboration zone offers tables and seats, as well as a red soft seating furniture element with countertops built into its back. Here, students and faculty can project their devices onto the wall, or UIC staff can use the area for training sessions.

Completed in September, the UIC bookstore redesign is open for business on the university’s busy campus.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • 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.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.