Flexibility Is Key Design Feature of George Mason University Student Center
Rendering by Powers Brown Architecture
With construction of its new Activities Community Wellness Building, George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., adds a facility that not only meets current needs, but also is designed to be flexible for future uses.
When it opens in August, the 25,000-sq-ft building will serve as the school’s first dedicated practice facility for its pep band, The Green Machine, which is regarded by the National Collegiate Athletic Association as one of the best pep bands in the country.
Contracted under a design-build delivery method, the team of Hoar Construction, Powers Brown Architecture and IMEG Corp. set out in 2023 to devise an economical solution that met the university’s needs for new programming spaces.
Working within an $11-million budget, the team did not envision a traditional concrete or steel structure. Instead, the university aimed for a “somewhat temporary” structure, says David Rowson, senior project manager at Powers Brown Architecture.
“They weren’t looking for a forever building on campus,” he says. “They went with lighter construction...”
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