Mori Hosseini Student Union, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Overview

Serving as the center of campus life for the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University community, the 178,000-square-foot Mori Hosseini Student Union contains a student convention center, a library, a cafeteria and other food service venue, student government quarters, common areas and offices. The building roof, inspired by birds in flight, consists of a double-curved steel-framed surface supported by a central spine girder and a series of wing beams.

We provided structural and connection engineering services to ikon.5 Architects for the four-story building, which opened in 2019.

Highlights

• The spine girder, composed of two laced wide flange shapes side by side, runs along the full length of the building footprint, cantilevers approximately 50 feet and extends beyond the façade.
• Similarly, the wing beams are also cantilevered outwards creating the overhang portion of the roof. Both the spine girder and the wing beams are deflection controlled by the external arches and vertical struts. The arches are four feet deep built-up boxed girders.
• Our team used 3D Tekla modeling to map out the complicated steel connections that were exposed to view and the curvature of the building materials in the roof.
• The interior commons is a four-story open space containing an atrium and stepped seated areas overlooking the ground level lobby.
• Limited columns required extensive coordination for lateral brace frame layouts, gravity framing and foundation design.