Student Success District, University of Arizona

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This project, on the University\nof Arizona\u2019s Tuscon campus, unites the school\u2019s essential yet siloed student\nsupport services. While comprehensive in nature, involving campus planning,\nexterior site improvements, and architectural interventions, the project is\nrooted in transformation and the connection of interior spaces that offer\nelevated experiences aimed at nurturing tomorrow\u2019s leaders. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Based on the university\u2019s\nresearch, it clearly understood that student retention and graduation rates\nwere much higher among those who participated in student support services when\ncompared to their peers. Many of its programs were quite successful, noting\n9,500 advising appointments, 2.3 million library visits, and 20,000 counseling\nand psychological services appointments in 2019 alone. Unfortunately, the\nmajority of services were situated in unwelcoming and far-flung spaces on\ncampus, rendering them invisible to many students. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The project hinged on\nrevitalizing three existing buildings and the construction of a new one to\ncentralize all services along the campus\u2019 main mall. Constructed in the 1960s\nand 70s, the university\u2019s two libraries suffered from pancake floor plans and\nno little to no access to daylight. Between them sits Bear Down Gymnasium, a landmark structure once the campus fitness hub but now relegated to a cubicle farm supporting various student service programs. All three were\ndisconnected and hamstrung by band-aid solutions that shaped interior\nexperiences that were isolated at best and inhumane at worst. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In renovating the existing\nspaces and adding the new four-story LEED Gold certified Bartlett Academic\nSuccess Center, the team shaped an interconnected 9-acre Student Success\nDistrict that actively engages the university\u2019s students. The renovated gym is the district\u2019s heart, with careful attention to retaining the elements of its suspended mezzanine bleachers and gym floor. It remains on the National Register of Historic Places and meets preservation standards according to the Secretary of the Interior\u2019s guidelines."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"To create a connective flow\nbetween the previously inward-looking buildings, the team cut new entries by\ninserting steel plate portals in the facades to form a new circulation\nlanguage. Inside, bold graphic signage supports circulation and wayfinding that evokes a variety of desert landforms. In enhancing the entries\nand circulation, the team provided a clear path for students in search of\nsupport, eliminating the previously maze-like and illogical conditions. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The university welcomes an\nextremely diverse student body, including a significant number of students from\ntraditionally underrepresented communities like the Navajo Nation. Many are\nfirst-generation university students arriving from family and community conditions\nthat are unable to offer the typical support students take for granted. The\nprograms housed in this new and accessible district are crucial for preparing\nstudents for academic and post-graduation success. "]]]]}