Stunning New Architecture Building Opens

From the desk of our President John Recny

There’s nothing like setting foot on your college campus. Decades later, it still brings back memories of late nights and big dreams.

With my wife Susan, I walked this memory lane at my alma mater, Kent State University. On this visit, my architecture school reunion coincided with the opening of the Center for Architecture and Environmental Design.

We attended the dedication ceremony for this remarkable building. Bringing together my Kent State classmates from years past and young architecture students, this event was a full-circle moment for my career.

The new 110,191 square-foot building stands four stories high and will accommodate students from across architectural disciplines. Whether they want to design hospitals or hotels, green spaces or urban hubs, all Kent State architecture students will study in the new building.

As we toured the new center, I felt a tinge of jealousy for the generation of architecture students who will get to learn here. Kent State gave me the building blocks to become a careful and passionate architect. I just wish I could have studied in such an architectural gem when I was in college!

Truly impressive, the center’s jagged façades and orange brick capture your attention and imagination. Already, the new building has been recognized for its world-class design by architecture experts and New York Times art reporters alike.

The structure is also well on its way to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, with its energy-efficient lighting, geothermal heating, and green roof.

I am extremely proud of my university for all that it has achieved in architectural excellence. I look forward to meeting the young architects trained in this inspiring new building!

 

Photo credit: Kent State University