Student Services Building, University of Utah
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Address
201 South 1460 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
Year Completed
1986
Building Type
Location Area
Salt Lake City - University of Utah campus (UU)
Architect:
Firm/Partnership
Project Description
A contract document from Astle/Ericson & Associates documents the work of the Student Services Building as follows, “This project is an addition to the existing Student Center Facility of approx. 22,500 sq. ft. – consisting of a main level, mezzanine level, and a large volume multi-purpose area.”1
In The Ninth CRSI Design Awards Program, 1987: Excellence in Concrete Structures publication, it noted about the Student Services Building that the penetration of light bouncing off the concrete members and wood infill on the exposed waffle ceiling, columns and beams on the interior of the building creates a very warm structure. The intimate character of this building was clearly reflected by utilizing reinforced concrete in the design of the structure. The strong inherent visual characteristics of reinforced concrete enabled the final product to remain exposed.”2 The document also noted the following: “This four-story, concrete frame structure utilized reinforced concrete to reduce the floor-to-ceiling height which would allow the new building’s floor levels to match those of an adjacent historic building. Only concrete’s versatility and economy could accomplish this. Because the concrete frame did not need to be concealed, the integration between building and frame could be a major, visible design element. The concrete frame allowed designers to achieve the desired openness, orientation and flexibility, which the building’s design necessitated. The exposed concrete provides an attractive, maintenance-free surface for interior and exterior surfaces.”3
Mr. Astle specifically designed this building with the many people who would inhabit it in mind. He recognized that he had to make the building accessible and convenient for students who would be arriving from all different directions on campus, so he knew he had to design a building with several entrances, “It would be a five-level structure with horizontal bands of windows facing east, creating an atrium that would shed natural light into the interiors, making it pleasant both for the employees who spend the entire day inside, and for the students who passed through.”4
In 1986 when jurors elected this building for an honor award, they noted that: “This very responsible project, awash with light and activity, is a solid building design relating to… the campus context. The different characters of the front and back, which echo the surrounding buildings, are especially appropriate.”5 The building was also praised for its color, texture, and interior design. While initially Mr. Astle began work on this project as a consultant, he took over the task of the entire design.6
Sources
1. “Project Manual, 1990” Student Center Expansion, Utah Technical College at Orem, in The Neil L. Astle Papers, accn 1930, box 70, folder 11, pg. 01005-1. From the Special Collections and Archives Department, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
2. "The Ninth CRSI Design Awards Program, 1987: Excellence in Concrete Structures" by the Jury (Leon Bridges, FAIA; Donald M. Hisaka, FAIA; Walter P. Moore Jr., P.E., Ph.D.; Maria F. Murray, Hon. AIA), “The Ninth CRSI Design Awards, 1987,” from The Neil L. Astle Papers, accn 1930, box 106, folder 2. From the Special Collections and Archives Department, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
3. "The Ninth CRSI Design Awards Program, 1987: Excellence in Concrete Structures" by the Jury (Leon Bridges, FAIA; Donald M. Hisaka, FAIA; Walter P. Moore Jr., P.E., Ph.D.; Maria F. Murray, Hon. AIA), “The Ninth CRSI Design Awards, 1987,” from The Neil L. Astle Papers, accn 1930, box 106, folder 2. From the Special Collections and Archives Department, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
4. Kim Hancey Duffy, “Neil Astle: Organic Architect,” Landmarks and Legacies, pg. 36., http://lowdoorinthewall.com/published-clips/architecture-utah-neil-astle.html.
5. Rosemary Reeve, “Student Services Adds Another Award to its List,” The Chronicle, November 20th, 1986, pg. 15. From the “Utah School Papers/Publications,” from The Neil L. Astle Papers, accn 1930, box 106, folder 8. From the Special Collections and Archives Department, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
6. Rosemary Reeve, “Student Services Adds Another Award to its List,” The Chronicle, November 20th, 1986, pg. 15. From the “Utah School Papers/Publications,” from The Neil L. Astle Papers, accn 1930, box 106, folder 8. From the Special Collections and Archives Department, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
7. “Architecture Utah – Neil Astle,” Low Door in the Wall’s website, last modified June 25, 2005, accessed June 14, 2016 http://lowdoorinthewall.com/published-clips/architecture-utah-neil-astle.html.
8. “Salt Lake City | Development Thread,” from Skyscraper Page, last modified August 2006, accessed June 14, 2016, http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=93987&page=28.
