Universidad de Lima

Highlights

• Site – 0.8 acres; Building – 133,400 gsf
• The center marks the first time that distinct
  departments of engineering are under one roof.
• An internal atrium creates a seamless integration with
  the existing building.
• The outdoor amphitheater links the building with the
  student plaza.
• Landscape integration with interior spaces enhances
  program and activity visibility.
• The south elevation faces a new main pedestrian path
  and landscape.
• The project is fully electric and uses clean energy
  sources.
• The center tracks for LEED Gold certification

Perspectives

The Center for Technological Innovation (CIT) results from a key initiative by the university to promote research
and entrepreneurship at undergraduate and graduate levels while granting greater visibility and access to
new engineering disciplines. The CIT fosters collaboration and cross-disciplinary thinking among students,
local industries, and regional institutions. Located in the heart of campus, the facility introduces a network of
engineering hubs aligned with Peru’s emerging industries, showcased as the preeminent programs on each building
floor. Woven across the 5-story complex is a series of collaboration spaces, classrooms, laboratories, and an
entrepreneurship center featuring pitch spaces, graduate and undergraduate workshops, a multi-use auditorium,
and flexible working space for companies in residence.

The planning process began as part of the university’s master plan. A planning committee, with representatives
from the administration, the engineering department, and student life, identified the project as a key priority
of the plan. A Building User Group identified key programmatic drivers. The project team used a combination
of digital surveys, stakeholder interviews, and student forums to identify perceived needs. Their outcomes, in
combination with the analysis of comparative national and international benchmarks and standards, were used in
the debate of program alternatives in Building User Group charrettes.

The ground floor features a gallery and an auditorium, flanked by the university’s Center for Robotics, Logistics
and Prototyping. The lower level is home to the Centers for Sustainable Development, Nanotechnology, and
Fabrication. The upper levels house the Entrepreneurship Center, Artificial Intelligence and Computing Science,
and the Textile Innovation Center. Between the labs, collaboration spaces and a terraced patio frame views of the
campus plaza. The top floor houses the Food Laboratories, featuring a café with panoramic views of the campus,
the mountains, and the city. The rooftop terrace features a PV pergola, built-in seating, planters, and mechanical
screens.

One of the major impacts for the university was a significant increase in student enrollment following the
implementation of the CIT and its companion, the Student Wellness Hub. Interview feedback from new students
confirmed that access to the new buildings is among the top factors for their decision to enroll.

Project Team

Sasaki; GCAQ, Structural Engineer; AT Consultores, ME Engineer; RAT Consultores, Plumbing Engineer; Sumac, Sustainability Consultant; LPLED, Lighting Designer