• University Center

    University Center

    University of California, Santa Barbara

    Project completed by Stephen Wheeler while with Wallace Roberts & Todd, San Francisco, California.

  • University Center

    University Center

    University of California, Santa Barbara

    Project completed by Stephen Wheeler while with Wallace Roberts & Todd, San Francisco, California.

The University Center is the student center and bookstore at UC Santa Barbara. Located on a sloping site above the campus lagoon, it is adjacent to Storke Tower and the academic core of the campus. The scope of the project included the construction of a new Associated Students Building and multi-purpose theater as well as renovations and additions to the existing student center buildings. The landscape design creates a series of terraces that wrap around the building complex and step down towards an open lawn area above the lagoon. The terraces were sited to provide areas for dining, informal performances and other student activities and to take advantage of the sweeping views of the lagoon. The landscape design chronicles the settlement of Santa Barbara area through the use of native and introduced plantings, and a variety of paving materials.