As a building type, the campus center - in addition to its practical program functions - is, optimally, the central figure on a university campus, and its premier mixing hall - for faculty, students, friends, and families.

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In regard to centrality, the LEED Silver ULV Campus Center benefited first and foremost from a fortuitous siting, its frontage on axis with a major campus entry street from Bonita Avenue, La Verne's principal commercial street.  This same (northerly) orientation gave the Campus Center the opportunity to have a virtually all-glass greeting to the city, the campus, and, from the upper floors, the San Gabriel Mountains.
 

Though the site was long and narrow, this extroverted frontage resulted in a 3-story open mixing hall, around which were organized a cafe, classrooms, offices, and prefunction lounge for a campus-wide multi-purpose room.

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In combination with a rich palette of materials, (copper, Indian sandstone, fritted glass, and polished concrete), the quality of the changing light throughout the day endows the mixing hall with an often-magical character.