KSU CAED Twin Center Second Floor Rehabilitation

The College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) is nationally recognized, and a signature program housed in the John Elliot Center for Architecture and Environmental Design. A new satellite facility is proposed supporting CAED’s sustained enrollment growth in a location providing student studio space, fabrication space, research, and technology needed for student success as they continue to outgrow their current facilities pushing undergraduate classes, graduate research, and faculty offices to temporary locations scattered across campus to meet the demand for space.  

This project’s solution provides 150 – 200 additional studio desks in an adaptive re-use of an existing university building which originally housed a dining facility and culinary services bakery within its commercial kitchen. During the Kent Campus Masterplan authored in 2017 and previous contracts with food service providers, the kitchen was earmarked for closure as space data showed need for consolidation of operations and food services. The space proposed for renovation is currently being utilized for Residence Hall warehouse storage and is better suited to support academic demands with its large open floor plate in keeping CAED’s pedagogical studio model and anticipated growth for the next 5-7 years. The proposed second floor project footprint is 21,925 square feet.