Expansion Gives University Mass Communications Space to Grow

Midwestern State University needed additional space for their growing Mass Communications Department. REES designed a two–story addition to the Fine Arts building spanning 14,500 square feet in order to create teaching labs, faculty offices and conference space. Also included in the facility is a state–of–the–art production studio, control room, edit bays and convergence newsroom. This addition will also provide the needed space and studio environment for their nationally recognized campus newspaper staff and student–run television channel.

Team Approach to Problem Solving

While working on the Mass Communications building at MSU, REES encountered a conflict between the standards of the university’s Information Technology department and the requirements for the broadcast systems. The University had very specific guidelines and network security procedures, so designing a new Mass Communications school that allowed free distribution of news presented challenges. To resolve the issue, REES chaired several meetings between our broadcast systems design consultant and the IT department. We provided network interface diagrams that helped explain how it would interface with the university’s network. REES also provided draft specifications to the university’s IT department so they could provide specific feedback on what standards should be implemented into the design.