William Paterson University, University Hall

Wayne, New Jersey

Firm

NK Architects

Client

William Paterson University

Area

80,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$26,946,076

Completion Date

01/2016

At the heart of the William Paterson University campus, the new University Hall defines and reinvigorates an edge of the campus academic zone. The new building sets the tone for all future master plan development, which focuses on renewing an aging academic core.
The administration sought to “create a sense of place; a visual hive of social activity, intellectual investigation and cross-campus interaction.” The design team responded with a building focused on themes of openness, transparency and connectivity.
University Hall is the new home for the departments of Nursing, Public Health and Communication Disorders. A combination of general academic classrooms, nursing simulation labs and academic offices is anchored by a café, unscheduled collaborative spaces and a three-story common social spine.
These programmatic elements give the building a rich cross-section of users and spaces that result in an interactive social hub that is widely used by the university community throughout the day.
In addition to the open and active atmosphere, numerous sustainable design elements, such as ample daylighting and a focus on energy, resource and material efficiency, will help the building achieve the university’s goal of LEED Gold certification.