Hastings+Chivetta

A few years ago, Columbia College in Missouri had a small maintenance garage that wasn’t adding much value. Today, it’s the Gaming Hut, the nexus of Columbia’s esports program, part of a trend on many campuses that’s getting video gamers out of their dorm rooms and into a world of collaboration, competition, and learning. An esports facility is “a perfect example of a small space being reclaimed, a social space with performance and practice areas,” explains Chris Chivetta, president of Hastings+Chivetta Architects, which has worked on a number of these projects.

Saint Louis University opened the $50 million Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Building in August of 2020 in St. Louis. Designed by Hastings+Chivetta with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the three-story, 90,000-sf facility features a full-height atrium, 10,000 sf of research space, and an active learning classroom that can accommodate up to 210 students.

Dixie State University dedicated the $60 million Human Performance Center in November of 2019 in St. George, Utah. Collocating academic, athletic, and recreational functions in a single integrated location, the 155,000-sf building provides learning environments, fitness facilities, and multipurpose spaces for the Health & Human Performance Department.