Education Lewis University Student Center 10

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The Brother James Gaffney, FSC, Student Center is designed to be distinctive, projecting an image of a contemporary, forward-thinking university. The design aimed to satisfy functional necessities in an inspired environment, evolving over several years and multiple conceptual studies until the opportunities were capitalized upon and needs were firmly met.

The final design pays tribute to the university’s aviation and aeronautics heritage. Evoking the spirit of a high-bay aircraft hangar, the design incorporates a structural system resembling the cable-and-strut construction of vintage airplanes. An acrobatic biplane is suspended above the main dining room as a reminder of Lewis’s renowned aviation legacy.

Photo Credit: Paul Schlismann, Paul Schlismann Photography

Education Lewis University Student Center 5

Education Lewis University Student Center 7

Awards:

2019 Award Winner, New Buildings $20M and Under, Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards, National Council of Structural Engineers Association

2019 Best Project, $10M to $50M, Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards, Structural Engineers Association of Illinois

2019 Finalist, New Construction Under $15M, Chicago Building Congress

Lewis University, Brother James Gaffney, FSC, Student Center

Creating a central hub of student activity