UTEP Parking Garage & Athletics Building

The design of the 700+ vehicle parking garage and athletics building addresses not only current site issues but also the future realignment of Glory Road, a campus improvement that is considered critical in fulfilling the overall campus master plan. The Athletics Building will be the new home of the Intercollegiate Athletics Department’s administrative offices and associated areas. This 16,000 sf building will be adjacent to the Larry K. Durham Athletics Building which houses a strength and conditioning center, sports medicine center and a student-athlete lounge/computer center, which are utilized by all Miner sports.

The design of these two structures is heavily influenced by the Bhutanese architecture of the UTEP campus, which dates back to the campus origins, and is considered the single most appreciated and unifying feature of the institution. The landscape design is heavily influenced by the nearby Chihuahuan desert; adopting water conservation techniques, low water plantings, and the vivid colors and texture palettes of the native plantings, all while preserving the existing iconic andesite rock formations, and arroyos that help to define the identity of El Paso and the UTEP campus. Included in the landscape design and scope, as budget allows, is the enhancement of the pedestrian connection between the project site on the north side of campus into the center of campus, relying heavily on shade elements, permeable paving, site seating, and gathering spaces to guide students and visitors into campus.