The 102,000-sf structure meets the needs of approximately 900 undergraduates, 300 graduate students, and 51 faculty members. It includes computing labs, classrooms (60 seat and 120 seat), conference rooms, and student project space. Wired and wireless telecommunications and technology capabilities, all with inherent future flexibility, are provided in labs for Advanced Computer Architecture, Software Systems, and Real Time Theory as well as Artificial Intelligence.

A common lab planning module has been applied throughout the building. The modular structure has been created to be more configurable and sharable to foster greater collaboration among CSE faculty, with the College of Engineering and with other departments at the University. The program and building facilitate research and teaching in experimental systems in computer architecture. An ‘open projects’ space has been created in the building to allow for robotics, mobile computing, and security experimentation.

One of the primary goals of the project was to bring together all CSE faculty in one building to foster interaction in a stimulating environment. The visibility afforded by the generous central atrium space, around which all labs and offices are organized, will provide a great sense of community among the CSE faculty, students, and staff and encourage positive interaction within and among research groups.

High indoor environmental quality is a key feature of the building. Each office placed on the perimeter of the building is naturally lit and has an operable window. Daylight comes into the building by using transom windows in corridors, and through the extensive placement of skylights that cover a four-story atrium space and a long linear stair. The addition of the skylights allows spaces on the interior of the building to benefit from natural light.

Project Information
Building Owner:		University of Michigan
Building Location:		Ann Arbor, Michigan UNITED STATES
Project Type:		New Construction
Principal Building Function:		Academic research
Project Delivery Method:		Construction Management
Project Timeline		Nov 2002 Planning Start Sep 2003 Design Start Oct 2003 Construction Start Dec 2005 Completion Last known status: Completed
Project Cost:		$40,000,000
Construction Cost:		$27,675,000
Cost Per Sq. Ft:		$263
		About These Cost Figures
Building Information
Project Includes:		Atrium Computers Conference Room Education Education: Classroom Education: Computer Lab Education: Faculty Office Engineering
Total GSF:		102,000
Project Team
Architect		Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc.
Builder		Skanska USA Building Inc.
Landscape Architect		Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc.
Profile Created 10/01/2006
Last Updated 10/30/2006
About the Reported Cost Figures The cost figures reported are supplied by the firms that submitted these projects for publication, which in most cases are the designers or builders. Whereas these sources are intimately familiar with their projects, they may not be fully aware of the owners' finally-realized and recorded costs. In some cases, costs are truly and completely accounted for, and in others they represent a near approximation of the final costs. Costs have not been adjusted for year of construction, nor has any attempt been made to make regional cost adjustments. Further, costs are not comparable on any kind of detailed standard costing model. Hence, it is possible for the cost of one building to include a steam boiler, while the cost of a comparable building might not include the boiler, if steam is being supplied from an already existing campus grid. Or, in another case, a building might include excess boiler capacity to supply steam to another building. Some submittals include fees or unusual site improvements as part of the construction costs, which others do not.