CARL H. LINDNER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI-NEW CONSTRUCTION

The 225,000-square-foot, four-story Carl H. Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati is a state-of-the-art learning environment that provides a thriving environment with collaborative space for education, research and innovation, facilitated by a flexible design. This project includes a signature central campus plaza for gathering and events at the heart of the campus. The design of this 80,000-square-foot plaza integrates the iconic landscape of the Campus Green with the Main Street hardscape that defines the core of the UC campus.

Woolpert was contracted to provide structural engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, site MEP design and landscape architecture services as a subconsultant to a local architecture partner. Woolpert was the structural engineer of record for the building and plaza.

Due to growth of its student population—an increase of 200% graduate and 50% undergraduate between 2010 and the building’s opening in 2019—UC knew it needed a larger building with specialty functions. In addition to classrooms, auditoriums and research labs, the building includes two interior courtyards, a large atrium with a café and outdoor dining terrace overlooking the new plaza, computer labs and a production studio.

In addition, the building seeks Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification with a focus on energy efficiency by reducing energy usage and stormwater runoff, enhancing greenspace and trees, while reducing its environmental impact by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

To fit in with the urban landscape and provide moving water for interest, the plaza includes a bioswale designed to pretreat plaza runoff through a series of vegetated pools with small waterfalls that provide stormwater management while complementing the signature design context of the Campus Green and Main Street.

The building opened to students on schedule in the fall of 2019.