Colorado Real Estate Journal - April 5, 2017
Design-builder Pinkard Construction Co., with team partner 4240 Architecture Inc., was awarded the design and construction for the Michael Smith Natural Resources Building addition. Located on Colorado State University’s main campus, the Michael Smith Natural Resources building addition and renovation will add four stories and approximately 42,800 gross square feet of new space to the south of the existing Warner College of Natural Resources building. The project will house flipped classrooms, instructional laboratories, a student success center, outdoor terrace, offices and meeting/collaboration spaces. Total project budget is estimated at $20.2 million with funding through donations, student facility fees and university resources. The MSNR building addition centers on the needs of the students, from the large auditorium to the flexible teaching labs to the “treehouse” – a collaboration studio convertible to an outdoor terrace. The facility has been designed to tell the story of natural resources, create a teaching tool for students and faculty, and root the project to the place. Natural materials (stone and wood) and natural elements (sun and wind) are incorporated throughout the student experience with an emphasis on building collaboration, curiosity and community. The addition will serve as the focus of community outreach and student engagement, and will allow the college to grow its reach, enrich education, propel discovery and increase its impact on the world. “The building architecture reflects nature as well as the programs housed within through strong transparent connections, views and vistas to the outdoors, and through the use of extensive natural day lighting as well as durable and sustainable materials,” explained CSU University architect Mike Rush. The original Warner College of Natural Resources building was constructed in 1975, and has had no significant renovation or additions. A space analysis determined that its departments and programs were operating at a significant deficit for the curriculum, enrollment, faculty numbers and level of research – including a high space shortage of instructional laboratories, laboratory service, classrooms, study space and meeting space. As a result, this project mainly focuses on solutions for the classroom, instructional lab, study, exhibit and lounge/meeting space deficits.