University of South Florida Marshall Student Center
University of South Florida Marshall Student Center
The University commissioned Walter P Moore and the team to replace the 1960 student union with a new building to include greater opportunities for the university to host events. The new building includes a four-story atrium, a tower housing student-life programs, a 400-seat multipurpose room, a 550-seat food court, a 700-seat auditorium, and a ballroom with a capacity of 1,200. The project also brought a formal restaurant, an art gallery, a variety of lounge and study spaces, and an outdoor plaza.
The architect’s design of a four-story atrium in the center of the building surrounded by pedestrian bridges at each level and the large ballroom called for large column-free areas. The team chose composite steel for the building frame. In order to provide lateral supporrt, we used concrete shearwalls at the stair and elevator shafts. This shearwall system was found to be more economical than steel braced frames with fire rated shaft walls by the CM at the beginning of the project.
The new building welcomes over 10,000 students, staff, and visitors every day. The student union to supports the changes in the campus and student offerings needed for the growing campus and is now one of the largest student unions in the Southeast.