Commons
Building Information
Geographic Coordinates: 46.727494, -117.012476
Location: Idaho Avenue & Line Street 875 S. Line St
Building Overview
Date: 2000-
Standing: Yes
Architect: Yost Grube Architects and Design West Architects (Pullman)
Architectural Style: Contemporary Style
Description: 78.000 Squar-foot Facility
Use History: Originally that Campus Classroom Center, it now houses the ASUI Student Government, Student Organizations, Classrooms,Computer Lab,Retail Outlets, Foodcourt, and Copy center. In 2005, The Teaching and Learning Center was built and attached to its west side.
Cost: $19,000,000. $19 Million
Sources: Register, PG1
History
The Idaho Student Union Building (ISUB), formerly known as Idaho Commons, was designed in 1996, completed in 1999, and opened in 2000. It serves as a central core of campus life, functioning as a gathering space for both students and faculty. The building replaced the university’s former Student Union, which was located in the Bruce M. Pitman Center, prompting the name change to better reflect its new role and location. The facility spans four floors, with a food court on the lowest level that is open and accessible to all upper floors, fostering a lively and inclusive atmosphere.1
Design
The building is semi-detached, and irragular in form. It is comprised of 78,000 square feet. The exterior design incorporates red stretcher-bond brick, precast concrete panels, and floor-to-ceiling windows on several faces. A circular rotunda entrance adjoins a large glass atrium, creating a welcoming focal point for visitors.2
Physical Description
The exterior is made of of red brick, concrete panels, and large windows. These floor-to-ceiling windows with fixed sashes and plain trim appear on multiple elevations, with no sills. Doors are glass with metal frames, visually consistent with the fenestration. The roof is flat.3