California State University, Fullerton – Engineering & Computer Science District Master Plan

Planning for Growth to Foster Interdisciplinary Collaboration

HGA was engaged to conduct a programming and feasibility study of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at CSUF, in order to address the aging facilities and inadequate space for their rapidly growing program. Currently, the program is housed in 125,000 SF complex across six buildings. 

The study included a detailed analysis of their existing spaces and functions, needs of the program, and comprehensive analytics of the space utilization metrics. Through aspirational visioning sessions and detailed programming exercises, the college identified the need for an increase in square footage that ranged from 100,000 to 150,000 SF above and beyond what they currently have, in order to address not just future growth, but a “right-sizing” of spaces to current standards and alignment with entitlements for their current enrollment.

The results of the study included a reimaging of their program adjacencies to foster inter-department and inter-disciplinary collaboration and sharing of space, and identifying which functions would achieve highest-and-best-use in a new facility, versus the modernized towers. HGA developed three concept design schemes, with each one offering unique ways to showcase the cultural priorities of the college, such as increasing visibility to the larger audience of CSUF, connections with industry partners, and expanded informal gathering space for students.