Computer Design, Research, and Learning Center, University of Illinois at Chicago - Exterior

Computer Design, Research, and Learning Center
University of Illinois Chicago

Location

Chicago, Illinois

Owner

University of Illinois Chicago

Collaborators +

Associate Architect: Booth Hansen

General Contractor: W.E. O'Neil

Construction Manager: Mortenson Construction

Structural Engineering: Magnusson Klemencic Associates, Drucker Zajdel Structural Engineers

MEP Engineering: Affiliated Engineers, Inc.

Civil Engineering: Terra Engineering, Ltd.

Landscape Architecture: SITE Design Group, Ltd.

Lighting Design: Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design

Project Size

134,735 square feet

Project Status

In Progress

Certifications

Targeting LEED New Construction Gold

Services

Architecture, Interior Design, Planning

The Computer Design, Research, and Learning Center (CDRLC) at the University of Illinois Chicago creates a new, welcoming home for the Computer Science department, supporting a diverse student body and expanding access to technology education. Organized around a five-story, light-filled atrium, the 135,000-square-foot building unifies classrooms, labs, offices, and lounges into a collaborative academic hub.

The design blends refined precast concrete with bronze, terra cotta, and wood accents, fostering warmth and connection to the campus’s historic context. Curving around Memorial Grove, the CDRLC opens new pathways and views, while the interior’s tactile materials, color, and art encourage comfort and engagement. The first two floors pulse with student activity, while upper levels house research and faculty spaces. Sustainable features, including a geothermal field and daylighting strategies, support LEED Gold goals, positioning the CDRLC as a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-looking campus destination.

Computer Design, Research, and Learning Center, University of Illinois Chicago - Interior

Together with the existing lab building, the new CDRLC creates a dramatic public atrium for social interactions with visual and physical connections to all floors.

“The new CDRLC represents the future of higher education at UIC and is intended to be a welcoming space to promote innovation, collaboration, and discovery.”

– Peter Nelson, Dean, UIC College of Engineering
Booth Hansen Site

Booth Hansen

Associate Architect

Website