The University of Houston system is expanding its Sugar Land campus in the southwest Houston metropolitan area with a College of Technology Building that will house the university’s Construction Management and Engineering Technology programs. Sugar Land is located in Fort Bend, the fastest-growing county in the United States and the University of Houston-Sugar Land intends to increase the number of Tier One-educated graduates to support regional employers’ needs.
The three-story, 108,690-sq.-ft. College of Technology building will house 10 state-of-the-art research labs, materials testing and fabrication instructional spaces, classroom space, industry partnership venue, supporting administration suites, roof top greenhouse / research space, and a sandwich shop.
The massing is made up of several rectangular volumes extending beyond their first story bases. Each section is clad in a different but complementary material that includes brick masonry and metal paneling which echo existing UH campus buildings. The high-efficiency low-e insulated exterior glazing system includes a horizontal shading system for south facing glazing and vertical shading for east and west facing glazing.
A central three-sided courtyard provides multiple levels for users to enjoy the outdoors, studying or relaxing either in direct sunlight or set back underneath the second story overhangs. Faculty, staff and students will be able to access the building from public transportation stops or adjacent surface parking that is partially shaded by trees.
The Page-designed building is being constructed by Tellepsen. Page is also providing structural, civil engineering, security, audio visual, technology, cost management, furniture planning, and landscape architecture services. It is scheduled to welcome students for the fall 2019 semester.
To view the design, click on the below video.
