San Jose State University Student Union

San Jose State University Student Union dates to the early 1960s and was designed as a cast concrete monument to student life by the Bay Area modernist, Ernest Kump. Our additions respectfully connect to this building using neutral glass “buffer” zones on the east and west. We created a distinct and welcoming entry portal experience, while redefining internal circulation through a soaring new skylit atrium at the center.

The use of concrete on the additions complements the original building—the new addition’s language of glass, metal wall panel, and rainscreen is woven through sections of the Kump building within the concrete frame, tying the old and new designs together. The programming includes food services, large event rooms/ballroom and meeting rooms, bookstore, auditorium/theater, recreation center and lounge spaces, Spartan shops, multicultural center, and offices.