Florida Construction News staff writer
The University of Florida College of Design, Construction and Planning (DCP) has started construction on the 500,000-sq. ft. Bruno E. and Maritza F. Ramos Collaboratory in Gainesville.
“This innovative facility is critical to the future of DCP and will strengthen collaborative working across all the built environment disciplines in the College,” said DCP Dean Chimay Anumba said. “It will position the college well for its next phase following our Centennial in 2025.”
The project is part of a $1.6-billion plan for the next 10 to 15 years that includes dozens of projects aimed at upgrading infrastructure and renovating and building new facilities. The structure built in 1979 will also be renovated.
“As a graduate of the UF College of Design, Construction and Planning, I am excited to see Dean Anumba’s vision of an academic and research collaboratory come to life,” Board member David Brandon said. “The building personifies the ‘OneUF’ philosophy as echoed by the UF Board of Trustees and the University administration.
“The building will bring all academic disciplines of DCP together in both teaching and lab environments. It will also include disciplines of engineering closely following how projects are collaborated in the outside design and construction world.”
Design for the Ramos Collaboratory was awarded to Brooks+Scarpa Architects. DCP graduates Eric Kleinsteuber (BDES ’02, MARCH ’04) of KMF Architects, Laurie Hall (BLAE ’09) of CHW and Cat Lindsay (BDES ’86) of Lindsay Newman Architecture and Design are collaborating with Brooks+Scarpa on the building design and campus integration.
Jacksonville-based Stellar was selected as the construction project manager. The company was founded by UF Construction Hall of Fame member Ronald H. Foster, Sr., a 1967 graduate of DCP’s M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management.
The expansion will add:
- reconfigurable, multi-functional space known as Creative Collisions Commons.
- research hub that will house DCP research centers and institutes
- digital Modeling and Fabrication Space and large-scale facilities for geospatial modeling and simulation, as well as a virtual reality lab
- large multipurpose hall
- instructional rooms with physical and enhanced technological capabilities to support design-based learning and teaching
- virtual design and construction (VDC) lab