Brought to you by:Architect: HLWLocation: New York CityCompletion Date: 2024Fordham Universitys latest addition is the McShane Campus Center, a 170,000-square-foot facility consolidating the schools fitness and student leisure programs into a single facility. Designed by HLW, the project stitches together three previously existing buildings through the addition of two glass arcade corridors and a new entrance facing the campus quad. This new street-facing elevation was designed to complement Fordhams collegiate gothic architecture and is clad in Fordham Gneiss, a banded metamorphic rock that was used to construct many of the institutions historic structures. Former exterior elevations are now located within the glass arcade of the McShane Campus Center. (Frank Oudeman)HLW introduced two perpendicular corridors to connect the McGinley Center, the campuss previous student center, to Fordhams two primary athletic facilities, the Rose Hill Gymnasium and Lombardi Center. The latter, which opened to students in 1976, was also designed by HLW. A new entrance and street-facing elevation was constructed on the lawn in front of the McGinley Center, facing the campus quad. The McShane Campus Center, located atop Rose Hill, is literally and figuratively the heart of the Rose Hill campus, serving as a beacon for students, administrators, and faculty, said Edward Stand, principal at HLW.An expanded fitness center, student lounge, and timber chapel are among the programs contained within the new facility. HLW worked to fill the corridors between these spaces with filtered natural light, which enters from skylights on the roof, highlighting the Rose Hill Gymnasiums historic stone masonry and the original barrel vault ceilings of the McGinley Center.HLW prioritized materiality and insulation when designing the McShane Centers facade. (Frank Oudeman)The buildings new exterior elevation was designed and detailed to match the existing architectural character of the Fordham campus. A composite facade system was specified to reduce material costs, with HLW cladding the building in precast concrete panels, Indiana limestone, and inserts of Fordham Gneiss. The proportions of the facade were adapted from the nearby Duane Library, a prime example of the campuss gothic architecture located just across the quad from the McShane Center.The facade of the McShane Center was also rigorously insulated, with the project targeting passive house certification. Ironically, given that the Campus Center is the most heavily trafficked building on the Rose Hill Campusthink of the pedestrian flow through Grand Central Terminalits a great design success in terms of its intent, but we could not quantitatively meet the Passive House requirements for certification as a result, added Stand.In addition, HLW worked with the New York State Historic Preservation Office to clean and restore elevations of the midcentury McGinley Center and the historic Rose Hill Gymnasium.The McShane Center also features a new chapel with timber furnishing. (Frank Oudeman)brandx, the HLWs wayfinding, signage, and branding group, planted easter eggs throughout the building referencing Fordhams history as one of New York Citys oldest institutions of higher education. These items include historical plaques with information about campus buildings, prints of old football posters and programs, neon depictions of the schools ram mascot, and hand drawn maps of the Bronx and Manhattan by artist Chanel Dehond, who also serves as the global director of brandx.HLW designed the McShane Campus Center to demonstrate a keen attention to Fordham Universitys history and traditions, while simultaneously preparing the institution for the future through its pursuit of ambitious energy goals.Project SpecificationsArchitect: HLWClient: Fordham UniversityMEP Engineer: Cameron Engineering & AssociatesStructural Engineer: Gasbarro Structural EngineeringEnvironmental Graphics: brandxLighting: Spark Studio Lighting DesignFire Protection Plans: Domani ConsultingSurveyor: East Coast ServicesSecurity, IT, AV, Acoustics: Shen Milsom & WilkeEnvelope & Passive House Consultant: SGHElevator: VDACode Consultant: Milrose ConsultantsGeotechnical Engineer: Rutledge Consulting EngineersGlass: ViraconCross & Corner Stone: Petrillo StoneLimestone: Indiana Limestone Fabricators