Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture Designs Welcome Center at Sacramento State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New 18,000 SF building located at campus main entrance; will also house University Transportation & Parking Services.

(SACRAMENTO, CA) – California State University, Sacramento is adding a new Welcome Center building at the main entry to campus. The two-story, 18,000 square foot structure is for recent and prospective students, and will be the meeting place for campus tours. It will also house the University Transportation and Parking Services (UTAPS) offices, which are currently in Folsom Hall, off the main campus. Construction on the Welcome Center/UTAPS Building started in March 2019, and is expected to be complete in approximately 12 months, during first quarter of 2020. Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture (D+B) is the architect, and Clark Pacific is the design-build contractor hired to complete the construction on the project, adjacent to new Parking Structure 5.

Kristopher Barkley, AIA, design director at Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture (D+B) and the project’s designer, said, “The Welcome Center/UTAPS Building is close to the University Arboretum, and was designed so the landscape folds around the building and envelops it, to help blend in with its surroundings.” The building includes a large assembly space with media briefing area, offices, public counter, conference rooms and other support spaces.

The Welcome Center/UTAPS Building’s form and utilization of sloped roofs allows for a generous overhang area for outdoor gatherings and provides an efficient means of rainwater drainage through use of rain chains. It also reduces the feeling of mass in respect to pedestrian scale, and creates an inviting atmosphere for campus visitors. The proximity of mature trees further enhances this effect. Stained and sealed wood panels and slats are integrated into the façade and overhang structure – a nod to the campus’ trellis motif.

Also included with the project is a pedestrian plaza connecting the building and Parking Structure 5 with the rest of campus, creating a strong sense of place. “The activated plaza space extends out toward the campus for those using the parking structure, while the Welcome Center/UTAPS Building at the northerly edge of the plaza leans inward from the trees, inviting new students to find out more about the University,” Barkley said.

“We are excited construction on the Welcome Center/UTAPS Building is starting so our department will be back on the campus again, benefiting students and staff,” said Tony Lucas, Sacramento State’s Senior Director of University Transportation and Parking Services. “We are looking forward to working with Dreyfuss + Blackford and Clark Pacific to bring this project quickly and efficiently to the university and our student community.”

The Welcome Center/UTAPS building is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. It is being delivered under the California State University’s innovative Collaborative Design-Build method, which engages stakeholders in design workshops, ensuring University staff and student expectations are captured. Construction will be phased to have the least impact on existing operations in this very active area of campus.

Sacramento State currently has a total of 3,000 trees and is designated as a Tree Campus USA.

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Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture

Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture, founded in ­1950 in Sacramento, Calif., with an office in San Francisco, is a mid-size firm headquartered in the California capital. The firm serves corporate, public, and institutional markets with solutions achieved through collaboration and innovation. Committed to a sustainable future, D+B brings expertise in architecture, master planning, interiors, graphic design, and construction services. Current projects include CLARA Midtown – E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts at Fremont School, Sacramento State University Union Expansion North and Placer County Animal Services Center.

California State University, Sacramento

Founded in 1947, Sacramento State, also known as Sac State, is a comprehensive 4-year university just a few miles from California’s Capitol in the heart of the state’s political, economic, and cultural center. Sacramento State is comprised of seven academic colleges offering approximately 58 undergraduate majors. Classrooms, labs, offices, and other facilities are nestled in a beautiful 300-acre, tree-lined campus alongside the American River.