The Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center is a three-story facility that consolidates educational support space for some 650 Rutgers student-athletes. It is also home to the men’s and women’s lacrosse and soccer programs, as well as athletics administration offices.
The building embodies the university’s goal to improve academic outcomes, personal growth and wellness for all students. As a world-class athletics and academic facility, the RASC is a recruitment tool for prospective students and a source of pride for current ones. Each corridor and space provided an opportunity to tell the Rutgers story and illustrate the university’s championship culture.
The building is clad in large warm-colored fiber-cement panels punctuated with contrasting dark metal elements to create a rhythmic facade. The two-story lobby — bathed in natural light and decked out in the team colors of scarlet, gray and black — welcomes students to both the study- and sport-specific facilities within the building. Interior amenities include expansive lounge areas, a multipurpose room, a café-style nutrition bar and a living room with fireplace, and strength and conditioning facilities.
Interior designers and an experiential graphic design team worked closely with Rutgers to create an inspirational, high-energy atmosphere with the school’s history on full display, integrating bold athletic spaces with sophisticated learning environments while emphasizing the Rutgers brand. The building opens to the surrounding athletic campus with visually stunning and dramatic views, a proud reminder of the historic and enduring Rutgers sports programs.
