460,000-square-foot mixed-use building will be the largest on campus when completed in 2024
Baker Barrios Architects has announced the start of construction on the new 10-story Multipurpose Building at The University of Tampa (UT). Designed by KWJ Architects, with Baker Barrios serving as executive architect, the 460,000-square-foot mixed-use building will include a 600-bed residence hall, 37 faculty offices, five classrooms, study rooms and a study lounge designated for veterans, which supports the university’s commitment to higher education for military veterans. It will also house a ground-level Starbucks; spaces dedicated to the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, UT’s Institute for Sales Excellence and the International Programs Office; and parking for 440 vehicles across a four-level podium. Completion is scheduled for fall 2024.
The architectural design of the building was influenced by the existing campus buildings, intended to blend with the surroundings and enhance the collegiate environment offered by UT. Red brick, precast concrete, metal and glass elements will create a façade that bridges the historic architecture of the campus’s original buildings with the modern aesthetics of today’s higher education buildings. The secured student life floors feature access to a 9,000-square-foot “sky park” intended to provide both active and passive zones to elevate the student living experience.
“With over 110 acres of buildings and landscaped grounds, the campus itself provided a great deal of the architectural inspiration for this project; however, the design was equally influenced by the intended users, today and into the future,” said Grayson Silver, AIA, managing partner of Baker Barrios. “The students and educators who will live, learn and gather in this building will be inspired by the values that shaped the design: community, diversity, reflection, engagement and a true sense of home.”
“Each new addition to our campus signifies the university’s commitment to nurturing student development,” said University of Tampa President Ron Vaughn. “We value spaces that encourage students and faculty to gather and collaborate, which aligns with Baker Barrios’ philosophy of ‘people first’ and is evident in the design of this new building.”
“Student housing continues to be a strong sector for the real estate industry, with the Southeast in particular being an especially bright spot in the market,” said Silver. “Florida remains one of only four states in the country with more than 1 million college students enrolled, and universities like UT are poised to accommodate future growth by investing in state-of-the-art building design and technology to meet the needs of the future of higher education.”
The University of Tampa has an estimated student enrollment of 10,600 for the current academic year, which is the 91-year-old university’s largest student body to date.
In alignment with UT’s commitment to create a responsible and sustainable campus, the building is a candidate for LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
For more information on Baker Barrios and to view current and past projects, visit www.bakerbarrios.com.
About Baker Barrios Architects:
Baker Barrios Architects was established in 1993, founded on the belief in creative excellence, innovative solutions and long-term relationships. The firm tells their client’s story through placemaking and creative design. Baker Barrios maintains a high level of involvement through a project’s completion to ensure the owner’s objectives are met, and the integrity of design is maintained even after occupancy. The staff of highly trained professionals is experienced in a variety of assignments for developers, corporations, health care providers, religious organizations, state and local agencies, and colleges and universities, providing full-service planning, architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture services.
About The University of Tampa:
The University of Tampa is a private, comprehensive university located on 110 acres on the riverfront in downtown Tampa. Known for academic excellence, personal attention and real-world experience in its undergraduate and graduate programs, the University has about 200 programs of study and serves about 10,600 students from 50 states and most of the world’s countries.
