Prairie View A&M University, Panther Collaboration and Innovation Commons

Prairie View, Texas

Firm

Perkins and Will

Client

Prairie View A&M University, Office of Academic Affairs

Area

39,015 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$2,548,446

Completion Date

03/2020

Joey Longa, CIITS

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The Panther Collaboration and Innovation Commons (Panther CIC) is a treasure trove of information about Prairie View A&M University’s heritage in a comfortable, digitally enhanced environment that fosters academic success. Situated on the third floor of the J.B. Coleman Library, the commons was created to encourage student collaboration in the present, inspired by quotes and images from the past, while contemplating future innovations.

There were no specific educational program requirements because this space was designed for all university students to collaborate and be innovative. It provides digital resources needed for course work, research, and experience for future employment, such as digital video and audio, images and animation, digital presentations and more.

Panther CIC has many different components: a print center, a 48-seat reconfigurable training room, two video studios with green screens and light board, podcast studio, and technology equipment checkout center. The space contains modular furniture so that students can move tables and seating around to fit their needs. There are also four cabanas and three mediascapes that enable students to project their mobile devices on built-in monitors. A technology equipment checkout center gives students, staff and faculty access to the latest cameras, laptops, mics, iPads, and tripods. An electronic locker system is available for after-hours technology equipment checkout.

This Type 2 construction project used existing mechanical systems, HVAC systems and fire sprinkler systems. Electrical systems were updated to accommodate the needs of adding nine offices, a modular training room, three private student office spaces, a student conference room, checkout room and print center.

Tony Martin, Jr., the senior project architect/manager with Perkins+Will and also the son of a Prairie View alumnus, along with Junior Designer and PVAMU graduate Zhetique Gunn, were excited to work on a project of this magnitude. Throughout this project, many other people, from the project manager to the construction superintendent, had connection to the university, proving the school’s motto: “Prairie View Produces Productive People.”