Anderson School of Management Building

McKinnon Center for Management (MCM)

This will be a signature building for the business school, establishing a clear and identifiable presence on the University of New Mexico (UNM) Campus. It will provide an engaging learning environment that promotes interaction amongst students, faculty and staff in order to foster the most valuable educational experience possible. This will be a 50 year building that is sustainable and durable, reflecting the stature and permanence of the Anderson School and the University. It will be a building that lives up to the Anderson School motto: "New Mexico Business Lives Here" by creating the center of innovative business culture in New Mexico.

The new building will serve an important role for the broader campus by creating a new point of arrival at the northern edge of the University’s core. The building will clearly announce the Anderson School and, through its relationship with the adjacent Graduate School of Management, it will create an exciting and important physical and symbolic gateway to the University.

The building is organized to reinforce the existing north/south axis of campus, beginning with a front door entrance facing Las Lomas. A dynamic entry procession leads to the signature Living Room, the central gathering place for all of Anderson. The double height space and its grand stair will reveal the life, activities and services that support student success and begins a clear and exciting path through the remainder of the building. The living room will be a place for a myriad of events and gatherings that will foster student life and the network of connections that attract faculty and important outside partners to the Anderson School.

The exterior architectural expression is responsive to UNM’s current and historic campus character while striving to look forward and convey the innovative and progressive culture of the Anderson School. The design draws from the rich regional influences including architecture, landscape, arts and craft. The sculptural expression combined with a simple material palette of stucco and pre-weathered steel provide a fresh and contemporary aesthetic that is respectful of the campus vernacular. Custom designed metal screens and canopies are featured and reference the strong patternmaking arts culture of the American Southwest giving the building a unique identity. Large areas of glass increase transparency to the major interior spaces and showcase the dynamic activities happening inside. The new building will provide the Anderson School with an iconic and memorable presence.

The design of the interior spaces will present a professional and progressive atmosphere that is comfortable, light-filled and inspiring. A high performance building envelope and advanced building systems will make the building energy efficient while creating an interior environment that is healthy and enables its users to operate at their highest level of productivity and creativity. Abundant daylight and views to the exterior will link the indoor spaces to the spectacular views and climate of this special place. The interior finishes were selected to respond to the demanding use of the space while offering a warmth and sophistication that will create a signature space for the campus.

The design thinking has been extended to the site by introducing more landscape and greenery to this corner of the campus. Large planted areas will bring seasonal color to the perimeter of the building. New shade trees will help mitigate the power of the sun and reduce the impact of winter winds. On the south a large new outdoor lawn is designed to create a soft transition from the active pedestrian traffic on Roma to the lower level where the business school lives. In the spring and fall the building is designed to allow interior activities to spill outdoors expanding the range of gatherings and activities hosted by the Anderson School.

The new Anderson School of Management Building will elevate architecture, landscape and interior space to an exciting new level at the University, but more importantly will provide a quality of place that enables its population to do their best work. It will indeed be the place where people want to be - attracting the best and brightest from across the University, the Albuquerque community and the broader region.