Facing the building’s internal public spaces, the building takes a radically different form by sculpting the shared exterior terraces with a more loose, organic formal language, driven by the efficient planning of the lecture halls within.
Interactive Learning Pavilion
University of California, Santa Barbara
Location
Santa Barbara, California
Owner
University of California, Santa Barbara
General Contractor: C.W. Driver
Structural Engineering: Saiful Bouquet, Inc.
MEP Engineering: Integral Group
Civil Engineering: Stantec
Landscape Architecture: Arcadia Studio, Inc.
Lighting Design: Integral Group
Graphics/Signage: Entro
Project Size
95,000 square feet
Project Status
Completed
Certifications
Certified LEED New Construction Gold
Services
Architecture, Interior Design, Planning
As the growing student population at University of California, Santa Barbara exceeded existing classroom capacity, there was a strong need for the new Interactive Learning Pavilion, which promotes experiential learning in five lecture halls, three active learning spaces, and 20 flexible classrooms.
The new heartbeat of campus, the building is a porous structure with many exterior gathering spaces that welcome all to enter and explore. Inspired by its natural surroundings, the architecture and material palette take advantage of the climate and echo local geological conditions. Ultimately, the building establishes a welcoming new place for social interaction and innovation at UCSB.
Photography: Tim Griffith, Patrick Price
Perforated aluminum railings on exterior stairs and walkways are lightweight, anti-corrosive, and easy to maintain on the campus’s marine environment, while also allowing transparency of the building’s edges and the activity happening in and around it.
“A gem at the center of our campus, the ILP is a model of innovation not only in architectural design, but in interactive learning and instructional technology. ”
– Henry T. Yang, Chancellor, UC Santa Barbara
Selected Awards
2024 Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards, Honorable Mention, Wellness Category
2024 Chicago Athenaeum, American Architecture Award
2023 World-Architects, US Building of the Year
