As the growing student population at the University of California, Santa Barbara exceeded existing classroom capacity, there was a strong need for the new Interactive Learning Pavilion (ILP), which promotes experiential learning in five lecture halls, three active learning spaces, and 20 flexible classrooms.

The new heartbeat of campus, the building is a porous structure with many exterior gathering spaces that welcome all to enter and explore. Inspired by its natural surroundings, the architecture and material palette take advantage of the climate and echo local geological conditions. Ultimately, the building establishes a welcoming new place for social interaction and innovation at UCSB.

Tangram provided furniture for lecture halls, active learning classrooms, flex classrooms, lounge areas, a mother's room, the tech suite, and the outdoor patio. The team helped each classroom be flexible and active with mobile and reconfigurable furniture like Turnstone Shortcut chairs and Steelcase Verb flip tables. Collaborative areas included various lounge settings, allowing for both socializing and studying. Each floor featured a different color scheme based on the surrounding Santa Barbara topography, and the furniture helped tie into the surrounding space with complementary colors. Lastly, the outdoor patio was a colorful oasis with a standout piece being the SIXINCH Cliffy curvilinear lounge that snakes throughout the space.

As a campus with a reputation for pioneering interdisciplinary teaching and research, this new classroom building will provide spaces that encourage collaborative education and promote faculty-student interactions.

– Gene Lucas, Chair, Executive Vice Chancellor Emeritus

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