University Center East is rooted in southwestern Indiana
The architectural design of University Center East was carefully conceived to repurpose (in unusual and serendipitous ways) components and materials that are manufactured in or indigenous to southwestern Indiana, or are of historical significance to the University and the community. The building is intended not only to provide needed space for the rapidly growing University, but also to celebrate its Evansville and southwestern Indiana roots in a permanent way, in the very heart of campus.
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Orr Iron Arch
The Orr Iron Arch was the main entrance to the 1912 Orr Iron Company headquarters at Fulton Avenue and the Lloyd Expressway. Samuel Orr founded the company in 1885 and was succeeded by his son Robert D. Orr, who was governor of Indiana from 1981 to 1989 and signed the legislation that created the University of Southern Indiana in 1985.
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Limestone Quarry Blocks
B.G. Hoadley Quarries typically removes limestone from its Bloomington quarry in four-foot by four-foot by eight-foot blocks. The outside faces of the blocks are rough and irregular, and are usually discarded. About 28 tons of this material was cut into 2 ¼-inch high pieces of varying length. The quarry surface of these limestone pieces form the walls of the 97-foot-tall conical campus tower.
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Clay Pipe
For 104 years, the Can Clay Corporation of Cannelton, Indiana, has produced clay for underground utility and sewer piping. It is typically fired at 2,000 degrees over the course of seven days. Twelve and 14-foot lengths of the 21-inch diameter CanOlok vitrified clay pipe are erected vertically to enclose 18 new structural steel columns.
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A-Blocks
The Can Clay Corporation manufactures A-blocks to secure the clay pipes in the kilns during the firing process. Twelve thousand standard A-blocks were cut nine inches tall to form the cylindrical walls enclosing the fireside and student lounges. This is the first application of A-blocks as a building material. |
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Chair Legs
The Jasper Chair Company has manufactured wood chairs from their own woodland since 1921. Twelve hundred steam-bent chair legs have been assembled and stained to form rosettes suspended from the ceiling of the Fireside and Heritage lounges.
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Aluminum Ingots
Alcoa Warrick Operations near Newburgh, Indiana, one of the world’s largest
aluminum facilities, utilizes an electromagnetic casting process to create
ingots weighing about 44,000 pounds. A typical ingot is 30 feet long and is 65
inches wide and 21 inches thick. After casting, the ingots are rolled in a
multi-stage process to create aluminum sheet for products such as food and
beverage cans. For the University Center, the ends of eight ingots were cut to
create these 2,300-pound benches. The distinctive X on the surface is where the
casting process first begins.
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Printed Plastic
Berry Plastics Evansville plant produces more than eight million linear feet of plastic sheeting each year. This sheet material is typically formed into tube containers for various types of liquids, from tomato paste to hair gel. The sheet material was specially printed with the logos of four regional manufacturers – Berry Plastics, Can Clay, Alcoa, and Jasper Chair – who have supplied products for the University Center East and is on display in the new facility.
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University Center East is uniquely at home in Evansville and the region, and firmly rooted in the culture, commerce, and natural traits of its surroundings.