Retail, Auxiliary, and Dining (RAD) Center at the University of Houston
Retail, Auxiliary, and Dining (RAD) Center at the University of Houston
Perkins&Will
ARCHITECTS
Perkins+will
DESIGNER
Jeremy Cheng, Rachel Flanagan
GENERAL CONTRACTORS
Turner Construction
MANAGING PRINCIPAL
Diego Rozo
DESIGN PRINCIPAL
Ron Stelmarski
PROJECT MANAGER
Tony Martin
INTERIOR DESIGN PRINCIPAL
Julie Gauthier
SENIOR PROJECT ARCHITECT
Francisco Silva
DESIGN TEAM SENIOR PROJECT ARCHITECT
Joshua Medina
ARCHITECTS
Nyx Valerdy, Deborah Madera, Xuehao Yang, Hillary Gee
BUILDING LIFECYCLE ASSESSMENT SPECIALIST
Luis Barajas Saldaña
YEAR
2024
LOCATION
Houston, United States
CATEGORY
University
Overview: The RAD Center is the first mass timber project at the University of Houston.
Envisioned as a "third place" outside of the home or classroom, the building replaces an underground dining facility that was severely damaged during Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
The design draws inspiration from the campus' surrounding woodlands with timber on display and upper-story glass providing abundant natural light, which further blurs the threshold between inside and outside.
This project was designed and constructed in alignment with the AIA 2030 Commitment, achieving an 84% reduction in predicted energy use intensity compared to similar buildings.
Through high-performance design strategies and energy-efficient systems, the project contributes to the AIA 2030 goal of carbon-neutral buildings by 2030.
FEATURES
Size: 41,000 square feet
Budget: $44 million
KEY AMENITIES
o Two-story building features 400 guest seats, including outdoor patio seating on both floors where guests can enjoy views of nearby woodlands.
o Large, multilayered solid wood panels create a warm, natural aesthetic that echoes nearby greenspace.
o The center features six food concepts, a coffee shop, and a convenience store.
