University of Central Florida and Valencia College, Downtown Campus

Ushering in a new era for a city’s core

UCF Downtown, in partnership with Valencia College, brings more than 7,000 students to live, learn and work in downtown Orlando.

UCF and Valencia College Downtown Campus — UCF Downtown, in partnership with Valencia College, brings more than 7,000 students to live, learn and work in downtown Orlando.

Client: University of Central Florida and Valencia College
Location: Orlando, Florida, United States
Size: 15 acres
Status: Completed 2019

The University of Central Florida and Valencia College have embarked on a major transformation as they establish a new, 15-acre campus in the heart of downtown Orlando. We partnered with the organizations to create a master plan for the transformational campus that leverages the energy of the thriving urban environment and provides unprecedented access to industry partners. The new campus, which opened in 2019, kickstarted Orlando’s $1 billion public-private Creative Village—an urban innovation district specifically for tech and creative companies—and provides direct pathways for students to enter high-demand local fields.

After completing the master plan, we partnered with Baker Barrios Architects to design UnionWest, a mixed-use academic and student housing project, and one of the largest privately financed buildings in the history of Downtown Orlando.

The urban campus layers public spaces vertically to maximize the outdoor spaces available on the compact site and add to the dynamic landscape.

Can1575 N20 Cdwebsite — The urban campus layers public spaces vertically to maximize the outdoor spaces available on the compact site and add to the dynamic landscape.

The proximity to Orlando’s Central Business District places students within walking distance of job and internship opportunities, and makes it easy to collaborate with professionals in their field of study.

Can1575 N30 Cdwebsite — The proximity to Orlando’s Central Business District places students within walking distance of job and internship opportunities, and makes it easy to collaborate with professionals in their field of study.

Maximizing proximity drove all aspects of the master plan, leading to an outward-facing campus that integrates anchor institutions into the city’s core fabric and builds connections with the surrounding community. More specifically, the downtown campus brings together select programs for health and public affairs, visual arts and design, communication, business and engineering to create unique interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students.

Already, this proximity is giving students direct access to industry partnerships. Microsoft selected UCF as the first higher education institution to join its Microsoft Flagship School program, and the Electronic Arts (EA) video game company is relocating its headquarters adjacent to the campus to expand opportunities for students in UCF’s graduate video game design school.

UCF Downtown is more than a collection of buildings. It is a place where discoveries and innovations are to be made by the faculty who research and create here, and countless students will have the opportunity to change their trajectory fueled by the power of the education they receive here.

Alexander N. Cartwright UCF President

UnionWest

After completing the master plan, we designed the first five floors of UnionWest at Creative Village. The building is home to a unique student life and education experience that blends student support, housing, academics and a culinary school together in one space.

The first five floors of the building house retail dining, a recreation center, a health and counseling center, student support services and more than 50,000 square feet dedicated to the Walt Disney World Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality. The top 10 floors house student residences with 600 beds.

Each floor is individually branded with an accent color that begins on the first floor with the shared UCF/Valencia gold and ends on the fifth floor with Valencia’s signature red.

UnionWest — Each floor is individually branded with an accent color that begins on the first floor with the shared UCF/Valencia gold and ends on the fifth floor with Valencia’s signature red.

A 7,900-square-foot recreation center includes a multipurpose fitness studio, cardio machines, weight equipment and added functional fitness space.

Truly one of a kind, UnionWest blends two academic institutions in a developer-driven building anchored by one of the most recognizable brands in the world.

The Walt Disney World Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality occupies three floors and approximately 50,000 square feet of space. The space triples student capacity for the college's culinary, baking, pastry, candy-making and beverage programs.

004573 08 N26 Cdwebsite — The Walt Disney World Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality occupies three floors and approximately 50,000 square feet of space. The space triples student capacity for the college's culinary, baking, pastry, candy-making and beverage programs.

A mixology lab incorporates a 278-foot-long professional teaching bar outfitted with cameras and 90-inch screens to record and broadcast demonstrations.

In 2022, the Association of College Unions (ACUI) awarded UnionWest an Outstanding Facility Design Award for its distinctive design and successful merging of academics, student life and community space.