ATLANTA—Macallan Construction, which is based in Marietta, Georgia, has its hands full with a slate of projects at Georgia State, located in the state capital city of Atlanta.

Macallan’s recent work has included renovating and adding on to the university’s library.  The addition entailed a new staircase, elevators to the second level as well as a brand-new lobby.  To realize the project, the contractor first had to demolish two nearby facilities, Kell Hall and North Plaza.  However, the addition now allows for seamless egress from Library North to the campus’s new greenway.

Architect Collins Cooper Carusi of Atlanta designed the addition of the library addition to be clad in glass so as to allow natural “reading light” into the interior.  The architect also selected earth tones for the addition to match the library’s overall aesthetic.

Macallan has also expanded Georgia State’s Robinson School of Business.  The contractor renovated nearly 30,000 square feet of space so that new classrooms and office space could be added to the building’s 11th and 12th floors.  Also added were new meeting areas, break rooms and a new lighted staircase that connects to the 12th floor atrium.

Acoustic panels, glass doors and windows for the business school were designed by architect CBRE Heery.

In addition to its work at the school’s library and expansion of its Robinson School of Business, Macallan Construction has other projects at the campus.

One such project, in collaboration with architect Houser Walker Architecture, involves transforming a squash court into an expansion of the athletic center’s current weight room facility. Additionally, the second floor of the current weight room will be turned into a storage space and office support area for the university’s student recreation center.

At the athletic center, Macallan has also updated the gym’s check-in area and reworked the building’s swing gate.

On the outside football practice field, Macallan has installed an ice station and drink station.  The contractor also updated the field’s windscreen and graphics capabilities.

Macallan is based in Marietta, Georgia, which is located in Atlanta’s northwest suburbs.

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ATLANTA — Architecture and urban design firm Cooper Robertson has announced its selection to develop the next phase of a master plan for Georgia State University (GSU), as the leading academic institution prepares for growth and major new initiatives. 

The master plan work entails the reshaping and enhancement of the main downtown Atlanta campus as well as five satellite campuses throughout the state.

This next phase is a part of a medium- and long-term strategic plan in progress at the 52,000-student public university, which anticipates expanding to 60,000 students within the next decade. 

The main components of Cooper Robertson’s work include planning for more students living on campus in Atlanta as well as creating a unified identity for the entire Georgia State University (GSU) system, which has grown over the past several decades to include facilities across Georgia in Newton, Alpharetta, Dunwoody, Clarkston and Decatur.

Mike Aziz, AIA, Cooper Robertson’s stated that directly integrating these ‘Perimeter Colleges’ into the GSU umbrella is crucial to the university leadership’s strategic vision.

John Kirk, AIA, partner at Cooper Robertson, explained that the new planning effort aims to make GSU into a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

“Our challenge and our goal for the master plan update is to create connective tissues that better tie the central GSU location to its surroundings, addressing the push-pull relationships inherent in any urban institution, as we work to weave the main campus and the university’s formerly disparate parts into a more cohesive and legible fabric,” said Kirk.  

The GSU master plan update report and its specific recommendations is anticipated to be released later this spring.

Cooper Robertson has earned wide renowned for its campus projects and is currently implementing master plans at Longwood University in Farmville, Va., and Drury University in Springfield, Mo.

The firm has also developed long-term plans and designed buildings for the University of Delaware, North Carolina State, Ohio State, the University of North Carolina, Cal Tech, Yale University, Hunter College, Georgetown, the Duke University Medical School, among others.

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