Clemson University Restoration Institute Zucker Family Graduate Education Center hosts ribbon cutting

LS3P and SmithGroup JJR congratulate the Clemson University Restoration Institute on the ribbon cutting of the new Zucker Family Graduate Education Center (ZFGEC). The 52,000 SF facility, located on waterfront property at dry dock no. 3 of the old Charleston Naval Base in North Charleston, SC, will house graduate electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering programs as well as the school’s graduate Digital Production Arts program. CURI campus management staff and industry partners will also share the office spaces.

The ZFGEC is intended to be the iconic core for Clemson’s Restoration Institute campus. The expansive, light-filled building takes full advantage of its Cooper River site, accommodating up to 200 students in a variety of leading-edge learning spaces. The ZFGEC will also serve as Clemson University’s continuing education facility in the Lowcounty. The building houses offices, classrooms, conference rooms, a 250-seat auditorium, café, gallery space, fitness center, and outdoor gathering and learning spaces.

Johan Enslin, director of the center, said, “We are excited to be able to offer these new programs that are focused on things like sustainable energy and creating a smarter power grid. And to have industry partners on-site is such a huge advantage, not only to the faculty but to the students as well.”

The new facility reflects the character of the industrial shipyards that flank the northeast edge of the property. Built on a concrete podium to protect it from flood waters, and to lessen the impact on the EPA brownfield site, the structure provides elevated views of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. (Cooper River) Bridge while providing covered parking for building occupants.  The exterior is clad with composite metal panels that echo the industrial spirit of the old naval yard.  The interior instructional and faculty spaces enjoy a light filled interior, served by an entry lobby that features salvaged lumber from the warehouse that formerly occupied the site.  The facility employs sophisticated and energy efficient systems to heat, cool, and light the spaces, and is virtually connected to Clemson’s main campus through state-of-the-art technology.

“The Zucker Graduate Education Facility is a fantastic addition to the Restoration Institute campus, reflecting the commitment of the University to sustainable technology, advanced building materials, and integrated connectivity,’ stated Scott May, LS3P VP and Higher Education Practice Leader.  “The research and training that occurs in the facility will provide many applications for urban infrastructure and large scale systems, as well as opportunities for education at all levels.”

The ZFGEC is targeting LEED Gold certification, with sustainable design strategies that include remediation of a brownfield site, an 8,000 square foot green roof, and high-performance building systems.

The building, construction managed by Choate Construction, opened to students and staff at the start of the 2016 fall semester.

About the Clemson University Restoration Institute:

The mission of the Clemson University Restoration Institute is to advance knowledge in integrative approaches to the restoration and sustainability of historic, ecological, and urban infrastructure resources and drive economic growth.  CURI embraces four distinct focus areas, including:

• Advanced Materials, Methods, and Processes – including the study of material properties and restorative processes, and involving The Clemson University Institute for Intelligent Materials, Systems and Environments (CU-iMSE) to facilitate partnering between Architecture, Electrical & Computing Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering.
• Energy Systems – including traditional and alternative bio-based and wind energy resources and their sustainable management.
• Restoration Ecology – including watershed management and restoration of compromised ecological systems.
• Intermodal Transportation – including an endowed chair in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

About LS3P

Founded in 1963, LS3P was named Southeast Design Firm of the Year for 2014 by Engineering News Record (ENR).  A design firm with regional roots and national reach, LS3P operates from its eight offices in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington, and Savannah, providing architecture, interiors, and planning services.  LS3P is deeply committed to the communities in which it serves, and has been honored with over 495 design awards in diverse practice areas.  For more information on LS3P, visit www.ls3p.com.