A magnificent new building devoted entirely to student learning and interaction is now under construction at the University of California at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, scheduled to open in fall 2016, Berkeley Dean Rich Lyons announced last week. Called the North Academic Building, the six-story, 80,000-square-foot structure will cost $60 million, funded with private donations from alumni and friends of the school.
Designed to serve as a “learning laboratory,” the new building will feature state-of-the art technology, flexible spaces, many group study areas and a large event space with views of the San Francisco Bay. The student-centric facility will hold no administrative offices. “The goal of the new facility is to create the best, most up-to-date learning experience for our students. It’s all about them,” Lyons said. He added that the building’s design – with its emphasis on spaces for collaboration and teamwork – is intended to enhance the school’s ability to teach innovative leadership concepts. “This is at the core of what differentiates the Berkeley-Haas education,” he said.
Global architectural firm Perkins+Will designed the North Academic Building, and Vance Brown Builders of Palo Alto, Calif., is the general contractor. The building has been designed to achieve at least certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold status in recognition for environmentally conscious design, construction, operation and maintenance.
