University Center of Lake County
Lake County, IL
The first facility of its kind in Illinois, the new University Center of Lake County combines programs from 17 Illinois colleges and universities under one roof. From a distance, the design is a series of cube-like masses that have been sliced and manipulated using penetrations and subtle changes in materials. Recesses in the façade distinguish five separate “houses”: three academic houses; a central house with core functions; and a multipurpose conference wing. The academic houses are further divided into three units separated by shallower recesses. A key design challenge was to create an identity for the new facility that would complement the adjacent College of Lake County buildings while also allowing the University Center to stand on its own. The resulting design features a formal brick façade in a color that matches the other campus buildings, with a distinctive pattern that sets the building apart. The design team devoted a great deal of attention to exterior masonry details. Bands of protruding, lighter brick run through the brown brick while alternating bands of recessed, level and protruding brick wrap around each corner. At the entry, a pattern of small glass block panels in the masonry exposes light at night.