NSU Horizons Fall 2006

36 horizons campus fusion Continued from page 21 performing arts in a single facility. The building’s central feature is a 400-foot-long broad atrium, flooded with the natural light of a soaring, 55 foot- high skylight. The three-level building boasts the architec- ture of a modern, open mall, with its activity areas branching off from the spine. The atrium’s most eye-catching feature will be a one-of-a-kind 240' by 45' Guy Harvey mural in his signature style, colorfully depicting sharks of the world. A series of grand stairs and elevators provides access to the second and third floors. The fitness center anchors the south end of the building, while the performing arts spaces do the same on the north end. In between, on the west side of the building, is the arena. The food court, to open next year, is also off the spine on the high-traffic first floor. The building’s spacious and airy design offers terrific internal visibility and expansive indoor-outdoor views. The interior layout purposefully heightens the user expe- rience by creating a flow between activity areas. One moves through spaces of different dimensions designated for differ- ent activities—all part of the designers’ plan to avoid visual repetition, creating a functional and energetic facility that maximizes social interaction. “The most fun thing about the building is the integration of functions and views that creates surprises,” Lempke said. broadening the academic experience Multipurpose buildings have become more than a trend on college campuses across the United States over the past decade. But NSU’s is distinct because of the variety of its components, and most notably, its incorporation of academic programs, including the performing arts, athletic training, and sports medicine. “No one has ever seen anything that combines this many different elements. That’s the ‘wow’ factor of this building,” said Brad Williams, Ed.D., dean of student affairs. The University Center will radically enrich the quality of student life, particularly for students choosing to live on-campus. The rising tempo of campus activity is expected to enhance NSU’s appeal among prospective students seeking a more traditional campus experience. With 710 dorm rooms built, 522 more to be completed by fall of next year, and plans for 1,800 to 2,000 more over the next five years, administra- tors envision the University Center as the catalyst for an exciting new phase of growth and development. “NSU’s opportunity for greatest growth lies in serving the traditional student population,” Williams added. “Just as we were ahead of the curve in distance learning, we are ahead of the curve now in what we offer traditional students. After all, our students in state-of-the-art dorms are gaining access to what are arguably the largest library and the largest fitness facility for the size of the student body of any campus in the region.” The performing arts wing, which is being constructed in multiple phases, will contribute to the growing diversity of new activities available to students because it will include instructional space for theater, music, dance, and visual and graphic arts. “Most important, the new wing provides a clearly iden- tifiable ‘home’ for new and emerging arts programs,” said Don Rosenblum, Ph.D., dean of the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences. There will be special flooring; mirrored walls for dance; and essential spaces for stage and scenery design, costume preparation, and dressing rooms. Rosenblum adds that the wing and the interactions it produces will add an important dimension to the undergradu- ate student experience “particularly as students enroll from high schools where arts budgets frequently have been cut.” connecting NSU to the community The University Center drastically reshapes how NSU relates to the broader community. Overnight, it has become the second-largest indoor gathering place in Broward County, after the BankAtlantic Center. SMG Management, which manages bookings for the BankAtlantic Center, has been hired to book 90 to 100 public events each year at the NSU arena, potentially draw- ing as many as five million people to our campus annually. Some of these events would have otherwise not appeared in Broward County for lack of a suitable venue. In addition to sports, music, and other public events, the University Center will annually host commencement ceremonies for 10 Broward County high schools. Two years from now, NSU will host the Sunshine State Conference basketball championship. High school and college sports tournaments will also be welcomed, said George Hanbury, NSU’s executive vice president. “This will present NSU from a new perspective to millions of people who never have been on our campus before,” Hanbury said. The new University Center is indeed the heart of campus, and its insistent beat will show prospective students, everyone on campus, and the broader community that this university has successfully fused the NSU experience: mind, body, and spirit. n Bob Ross is a writer in Miami, florida.