Eastern Washington University’s Pence Union Building (PUB) has won yet another award for its innovative design.
The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) recently gave Eastern’s PUB project, designed by architects Perkins+Will, its top award in the category of Excellence in Architecture for Building Additions, Renovation or Adaptive Reuse. Eastern and other 2022 award winners are featured on the SCUP website and in the summer issue of Learning By Design magazine.
Perkins+Will, a Chicago-based firm with offices in Seattle, created a design that transformed a building constructed in 1964 and expanded in the 1990s into modern-day hub for university activities.
“The redesign creates an easy-to-navigate, open-concept layout that is infused with natural light,” the Learning By Design article says. “The renovated building maintains the traditional campus aesthetic of red brick but introduces modern elements of metal, glass, and wood that connect the structure from the inside and out and knits the salvaged elements of the 1964 building into a seamless whole.”
Built by Leone & Keeble, Inc. of Spokane, the building opened for full use in early 2019. With a welcoming light-infused atrium, and trendy spaces for studying, dining, shopping and learning, the PUB was an instant hit with students and the larger Eastern community. (To get a feel for the excitement behind the project, take a few minutes to read this Eastern Magazine article.)
This is the latest in a series of design awards for the 126,000-square-foot PUB, which has also received the following recognitions:
- 2021 ACUI – Facility Design Award
- 2021 AIA Washington Council – Civic Design Award
- 2020 AIA New England – Extended Use Award
- 2019 Boston Society of Architects – Education Facilities Design Award
