Smiling faces that deal with informal conversations, lively theoretical discussions and students, and the students who tacitly work on tasks fill public areas during our campus. These rooms are an important part of university life. They facilitate learning after the end of the lesson and offer a place where they can build relationships outside the classroom. With growing university, these rooms should develop to meet the changing needs of our students.
UnlV has a wide range of buildings that serve various purposes, including those built in the 1950s, and brand new state -of -the -art facilities. Recently representatives of Greenspun Hall, the Flora Dungan Humanities (FDH) and the Student Services Center – buildings of various age groups and purposes – have come together with the interior design of the Planning & Construction in order to convert their common areas into the welcome site for students.
“Our goal is to design comfortable spaces in which the students want to spend time,” said Nichole Staker, project manager for planning and construction. We have found that even small changes can make a big difference. “
Here is a before and after view of these recent updates.
Greenspun College of Urban Affairs (GUA)
In order to promote social distancing during the Covid 19 pandemic, a large part of the lobby furniture was removed and rejected because they were worn.
With the pandemic behind us, the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, Dean Robert Ulmer, endeavored to bring back a pre-Pandemic culture in which the students studied between classes and entertained with friends. He turned to the team of interior designers from Planning & Construction to get help.
After the team shared his vision to bring the building to life, it was a plan to add a mixture of calm study piles and flexible seats that can be newly arranged to take on events. They worked with the existing desert-inspired color palette and added soft textures and art plants to create a warm, inviting room.
“Our new room offers the students the opportunity to connect and it is perfect for working and building relationships,” said Ulmer.
Flora Dungan Humanities (FDH)
In the FDH of UnlV's administrative offices, auditories, classrooms and lecture halls, one of the most visited buildings on campus is. With strong foot traffic, it is absolutely necessary that his lobby leaves a positive first impression.
The original furniture of the lobby for the building showed visible wear. In order to keep the costs low, the planning and construction of the existing framework of the furniture preserved the pillows with a contractual substance in order to withstand the requirements of campus users, in a color palette that shows UNLVS characteristic colors of red and gray. While the layout and the amount of furniture stayed the same, the room now feels completely refreshed, with a new life and a feeling of rebel pride.
Student Services Complex (SSC) – Bau A
When the guests entered the lobby of SSC A, they were once welcomed by a large reception. The problem? The desk was unused for years. In order to make things worse, there was so little seating that the employees in the open bench had to bring with them to offer people a place.
The SSC team worked with the interior design team from Planning & Construction to redesign the room. They removed the reception and replaced it with comfortable sofas of the quality of the contract and seating areas in which the students wait for appointments, study between the classes or only stay with friends for a while. The inviting furniture invites people to a building that was once considered a transaction room and turns it into a lively activity center.
“People always went through the lobby,” said the University's registrar Sam Fugazotto. “Now it is a goal for students who have to work between the classes – even if they don't have an appointment in the building. The refresher really brought our building to life.”
“Common areas help to create a sense of community,” said Staker. “They give us places to relax, take part in activities and get to know each other. By keeping these rooms fresh and inviting, our goal is to offer places where our students earn permanent memories and feel a deeper connection to UNLV.”
Ready for an update?
In order to assess whether the public areas of your building can use an update, you should consider how the room is used. If certain areas are often empty, it can be time for a reassessment.
The departments can work with the interior design of Planning & Construction to discuss their specific requirements and the budget and determine whether an update is suitable for your space. After approval, a committed project manager is commissioned to monitor the project and to guide the department through every phase of the process. This includes the implementation of a procedure for the room and the discussion of design goals. The project manager will present a number of furniture plans, fabrics, materials and color pallets for consideration. All selections are brought into harmony with the brand identity of UNLV and adhere to health and security standards, including relevant guarantees and fire reviews. Departments are also encouraged to share their ideas to ensure that the end result corresponds to your expectations.
To start your update, enter a work order via the Rebels@work portal.