Page 15 - spaces4learning, Spring 2023

which seats 477.
The third of the three most important rooms in the new
complex, the trustees’ boardroom, is the lynchpin between the Enterprise Center and the executive conference center, joining the two with a vaulted ceiling to a glazed monitor bringing in natural light from above to complement the generosity of windows on its east and west facades.
The Enterprise Center is a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” in that it is contextual and familiar on the outside, while being intoxicatingly contemporary inside. The interiors are an explosion of light, views, and grandeur, with some 3,600 square feet of interior glazing. Modern and state-of-the-art in every way (and supported by more than 13 miles of cable throughout the building), the spaces celebrate both the structural steel tectonics of the building and its programmatic offerings and activities. Amenities include a trading floor, cybersecurity laboratory, mediascape rooms with green screens, a design laboratory, and a plethora of places designed to encourage collaboration.
Finally, a grand stair, complete with a “moon pod”— designed as a cantilevered balcony overlooking the atrium where students, faculty, and visitors can gather—is a visual, vertical ribbon that angles from north to south and connects all three floors within the atrium volume.
In fact, the new edifice is all about making connections. On an urban level, it connects the context of the university and the city, Central Street and Bob Barker Boulevard. With the rotated entry tower, it connects to Burnham Circle and Drury’s rich history. It also connects Drury’s varied academic programs in a centralized hub. Most importantly, it connects people to one
another—faculty, students, staff, and residents alike.
Leon Battista Alberti wrote that a work of art is such that nothing could be added or taken away without detracting from it. The new Enterprise Center and the Judy Thompson Executive Conference Center at Drury University is one such work of art, a success in every regard that will be a standard-
bearer for a good time to come. Facts:
• C.H. “Chubb” O’Reilly Enterprise Center, Breech School of Business Administration and Judy Thompson Executive Conference Center
• Drury University, Springfield, Mo. • 67,438 gross square feet
• Three stories
John Kirk, AIA, is a partner at Cooper Robertson and has led master planning efforts for town centers, campuses, and new communities. He has also served as partner-in-charge and designer for a range of carefully conceived and finely crafted educational, residential, resort, club, and specialty building projects. He joined Cooper Robertson in 1989, became a partner in the firm in 2000, and is a member of the firm’s management committee, www.cooperrobertson.com.
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