Comstock's magazine 0620 - June June 2020 | Page 55

SACRAMENTO
STATE
University Union
expansion
Architect: Dreyfuss + Blackford
Project cost: $53 million
Completed: 2019
Since it opened in 1975, the University Union at Sacramento
State has been the object of numerous additions,
resulting in a surplus of odd angles and spaces that
has made the building challenging to expand. Dreyfuss
+ Blackford Principal Kris Barkley compared it to the
Winchester Mystery House. “The underlying organization
concept is based on a diagonal grid, not necessarily
a rectilinear grid, so the 45-degree angles and leftover
triangular spaces were problematic,” he says. As was
the flow of student traffic. The porous building funneled
students from all parts of the campus through several
different entry points.
The goal was to tie the new design into the existing
diagonal grid and create accessible entrances within
a tight, confined space. The architect’s solution is a
72,000-square-foot, three-story expansion that extends
the perimeter of the building in a rectilinear fashion and
creates a more efficient use of space. The addition houses
office space and meeting rooms that are configurable with
Skyfold drop-down dividers. A much-anticipated student
lounge and modern game room have become a hub, along
with a meditation room and a Starbucks shop. Peak Adventures,
a retail store that offers bike repair, equipment rental
and outdoor activities, was also brought back from its offsite
location for more convenient access. An art railing that
was salvaged from the original building was reintegrated
into the expansion in a prominent open-seating area.
PHOTO BY KYLE JEFFERS
June 2020 | comstocksmag.com 55