ATLANTA, Aug. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Duda|Paine Architects, a premier international design firm, announces today the completion of its Emory University Student Center project. The innovative 130,000-square-foot facility includes design elements that set new standards for student centers.

"A primary goal of the Emory Student Center is to serve as an all-campus nexus that brings us together as a campus family," explains David Clark, Emory University Associate Vice President. "It's about building community for students, faculty, staff and guests — for all members of our university family."

Duda|Paine, in collaboration with long-time partner for programming and interiors MHTN Architects, was selected by Emory to complete the project for its unique and thoughtful approach to campus design. The firm worked with Emory University throughout the design process to create spaces that would become the heart of university life outside the classroom and would provide a welcoming and inclusive self-directed learning laboratory that complements Emory's academic experience.

"We love the process of creating architecture and ensure our clients' experience reflects our passion, enthusiasm, collaborative spirit and appreciation for great design," said Scott Baltimore, AIA, Design Team Leader for Duda|Paine Architects. "Together we established design goals that would allow the building to become the campus's heart. One strategy — subdividing the project's large program into smaller 'pavilions on a hill '— ensures transparency, intensifies interaction, and creates diverse opportunities for the Emory community to come together."

Recurring themes of collaborative space and community building informed the arrangement of pavilions and multi-story spaces throughout the Student Center. To mitigate the project's tremendous scale for the carefully curated context of Emory's campus, Duda|Paine positioned large portions of the building underground. This allowed tremendous synergies for operations and back-of-house functions to ensure a seamless student-side experience with striking aesthetics:

• The placement of meeting and multipurpose rooms on the first floor incorporates their functions into everyday campus life and contributes to the openness and sense of vitality the new center brings to campus.

• The positioning and design of the loading dock — utilized nearly every day yet not typically a design highlight — achieved tremendous operational functionality.

• The central and highly visible placement of the building's welcome desk within the design's transparent, prismatic pavilions supports the desire to activate many campus pathways as means of entry rather than a single main entrance.

• A sunshade canopy unifies the individual pavilions that together accommodate growing demand for student-oriented amenities, flexible dining, and space for student organizations, socializing and gathering.

"Our work is grounded by a shared passion for ideas-based architecture. We focus on placemaking and creating an inspired and heightened human experience," said Turan Duda, AIA, Founding Principal of Duda|Paine Architects. "Hallmarks of our process include the exceptional individuals on our staff such as Scott, innovative collaborations with experts like MHTN, and our engagement with forward-thinking clients such as Emory."

About Duda|Paine Architects

Duda|Paine Architects provides a full complement of design, interior design, architectural, planning and master planning services to a diverse array of international and national corporate, academic, wellness and cultural arts clients. The firm's enduring success results from an idea-based design process that engages participants and fosters inspiration to achieve visionary built work. For additional information, please visit http://www.dudapaine.com.

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SOURCE Duda|Paine Architects