Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA

Ayers/Saint/Gross was the design architect for this distance learning classroom building, which facilitates statewide satellite education in cooperation with the Virginia Community College System. The University is able to send up to 20 undergraduate programs to its campus sites around the state and to 35 community colleges. Because of this facility, place-bound students study the community colleges' curricula for two years and earn a University degree in two more.

The curved façade terminates an axis (established in an earlier plan by Ayers/Saint/Gross) from the University's main quadrangle and embraces visitors much like a satellite dish receives electronic information. The lobby serves as a broadcast studio, while the main studio is on the ground floor within a highbay structure. Classrooms and offices ring a central support core.

While the Center supports higher education, it also stimulates economic development in rural areas. A distance education costs about half as much as the traditional campus-based experience.

Ayers/Saint/Gross was design architect in association with Sverdrup Facilities.

Completion: 1998
Size: 54,600 gsf
Cost: $7.6 million