University of Dubuque Heritage Center: Structural Engineering for Arts & Academic Spaces

Project Overview

BKBM provided structural engineering services for an innovative 80,000-square-foot facility, colloquially known as "The Wave." The building serves as a dynamic academic and cultural hub, combining classrooms, a performance hall, and an art gallery within a single, architecturally bold structure that both blends with and elevates the surrounding campus environment.

Project Highlights

  • Distinctive Curved Architecture:
    • Convex and concave roof joists frame the building’s signature undulating roof.
    • Curved structural steel forms the cantilevered balcony of the 1,000-seat performance hall, ensuring unobstructed views from every seat.
  • Performance & Acoustics:
    • The performance hall and Fly Loft are enclosed by tall cast-in-place concrete walls, designed to enhance acoustical quality and isolate sound.
  • Innovative Materials & Systems:
    • Post-tensioned concrete supports the elevated and cantilevered stage, delivering the strength and durability needed for high-performance use.
    • Classroom and Black Box rehearsal spaces constructed with structural steel framing, precast plank floors, and precast wall panels for flexibility and speed of construction.
  • Artistic Facade Design:
    • The building exterior features tall curtainwall on radii, canted outward near the top, creating visual drama while maximizing natural light and campus visibility.

Engineering Solutions

BKBM’s structural team addressed a wide variety of architectural and engineering challenges. Custom framing for complex curved forms and cantilevers, robust cast-in-place and post-tensioned concrete for performance spaces, and advanced facade systems were coordinated to meet demanding program and aesthetic ambitions.

Results & Impact

The Wave stands out as a multi-purpose destination, supporting teaching, performance, and artistic exhibition. BKBM’s engineering solutions contributed to a facility that delivers on form and function—creating an iconic space for campus and community engagement, and showcasing the synergy of architectural vision and structural innovation.