University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kiewit Hall

Kiewit Hall is a 182,000-square-foot landmark facility that places “Engineering on Display” at a major campus intersection, embodying the college’s mission to develop the “Complete Engineer.” The building’s design is intentionally transparent, showcasing engineering innovation to all visitors and providing views into the facility from the surrounding site. At its heart is a seven-story monumental stair. The top five stories of the stair are structurally suspended from the roof, allowing them to also function as a teaching tool. Clad in micro-perforated wood for acoustic absorption, the stair encourages movement from floor to floor and provides a visual connection between programs and classes. Natural light fills the atrium, creating an open, connected community space. Three bands of red glass connect elevator lobbies as a bold wayfinding element, while floating study rooms feature frit patterns that extend pattern language from the building’s exterior. Structural trusses allow for large column-free classrooms and event spaces, emphasizing flexibility and collaboration. Additionally, Kiewit Hall is poised to be the first Big Ten College of Engineering facility to achieve both LEED and WELL Building Certifications, setting a new standard for sustainable, human-centered design in higher education. In order to achieve this, sustainability and well-being were at the center of every design discussion. Goals for the project included: 20% increase in faculty/staff productivity, 30% drop in absenteeism, increased utilization of stairs and other active spaces, stress reduction, improved mood, and reduced cognitive fatigue, positive college culture, welcoming, inclusive environment that improves recruitment and retention, >80% satisfaction of thermal environment, spaces that exceed the industry standard for speech privacy, intelligibility, and volume. Materials utilized in the project include over 60,000 square feet of carbon-neutral carpet, which resulted in the retirement of 52 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Roller window shades, wall protection, plastic laminate, toilet partitions, and acoustical panel ceiling specifications were held to a Greenguard gold minimum standard. The tile in the restrooms not only has a third-party verified, red list-free Declare Label but was also fabricated with pre-consumer recycled toilets and sinks. From a programmatic perspective, students needed space to collaborate on complex design projects in a facility with 24/7 access. Several study rooms are available in the central core of the building. Each student organization was also provided with a dedicated storage closet and work area designed for collaboration. Visual display surfaces are present throughout the spaces, highlighting the collaborative culture at the core of the college. Sitting atop the building, visible from a main campus pedestrian corridor, is the college boardroom. The ceiling features a stretch fabric illuminated oval, which can be color tuned to any events – Husker red for gamedays, Kiewit Yellow for engineering scholarship signings, etc. The custom oval boardroom table below seats 40 and echoes the ceiling light shape while also symbolizing the college’s commitment to inclusivity and shared leadership. Throughout each of its space, Kiewit Hall was designed to reflect the core values of the College of Engineering, serving as a celebration of all engineering disciplines.