Roberts Pavilion
Claremont McKenna College’s new 144,000 square-foot Roberts Pavilion dramatically redefines what a college athletic venue can be. An iconic social hub that brings students and faculty together, it demarks a new gateway for the campus while reacting to the push and pull of surrounding buildings, playing fields, and aquatic center.
Photography By Fotoworks-Benny Chan
A sensuous, sculptural, even athletic form was used to suggest the College’s ambitious forward-looking outlook, as well as its function as a center of recreation and wellness. A sculpture by artist Chris Burden, installed after his death, sits just outside on the building’s plaza.
Photography By Fotoworks-Benny Chan
Though its taut form and terra cotta panels create a unified exterior, it is that one finds the building’s overlapping circulation elements, enhanced by a great deal of transparency, cutting loose and inviting today’s mobile students to territorialize its spaces in unforeseen ways – whether to study, exercise, or socialize.
Photography By Fotoworks-Benny Chan
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the lobby, whose “Character Wall” incorporates important character-building terms in the ten most commonly-used languages on campus, thereby reflecting the global outlook of the College and the creative search common to all academic ventures.
Photography By Fotoworks-Benny Chan
Project Info
Architects: John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects
Location: California, United States
Architect in Charge: John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects
Manufacturers: Rockfon, Caesarstone, Plyboo, Arcadia, Armstrong, Koroseal
General Contractor: PCL
Structural Engineer and Building Envelope Consultant: SGH
MEP and Sustainability Engineer: Buro Happold
Lighting Designer: KGM Architectural Lighting
Civil Engineer: PSOMAS
Landscape Architect: LINK Landscape Architecture
Technology, AV, IT, Acoustics: Waveguide
Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment (FF&E): Neiman Studio
Specifications: Yagade Consulting, Inc
Environmental Graphics: 49 Degrees
Year: 2016
Type: Pavilion
Photographs: Fotoworks/Benny Chan
Hadeer Shahin is the Built Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she curates innovative architectural works from around the globe. With a background in architecture from Alexandria University and hands-on experience in design and digital content, she bridges the gap between technical precision and editorial vision. Hadeer’s keen eye for spatial storytelling and her passion for contemporary design trends make her a vital contributor to Arch2O’s mission of highlighting excellence in the built environment.