This Spring, Clemson University marked an exciting milestone with the unveiling of the Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center. Designed by Cooper Carry, in collaboration with Goodwyn Mills Cawood as Architect of Record, the 98,000-square-foot five-story building overlooks Lake Hartwell and serves as the university’s new front door, welcoming prospective students, visitors and returning alumni to connect and bond over shared experiences.
Replacing the university’s longstanding alumni center on Daniel Drive, this new building acts as a physical and sentimental gateway for guests to the university and is expected to host over 160,000 visitors annually. The Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center will offer a variety of experiences — from introducing prospective students to Clemson during campus visits, hosting milestone events for current students, faculty, and administration, to providing space for alumni and the community to reunite and connect.
Image Courtesy of: Clemson University
“This project represents the impact of connecting past, present and future moments in the Clemson experience through inspiring spaces,” said Brian Campa, Principal at Cooper Carry. “We worked closely with Clemson to create an environment that reflects the university’s character, incorporating subtle hints of Clemson’s iconic colors, technology-enhanced exhibits, the warmth of a mass timber structure, and transparent interiors that invite openness and connection. It’s a building that tells Clemson’s story the moment you arrive.”
Located adjacent to the Clyde V. Madren Conference Center and John E. Walker Sr. Golf Course, the Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center showcases a hybrid structural system of traditional steel and mass timber, designed to draw the eye upwards within the building’s energetic central lobby. Guests are greeted by warm wood tones, sweeping lake views and integrated media displays. A signature feature of the building is the Conklin Ring Gallery, a digital ring wall installation in the Brown Family Lobby, where alumni can tap their class ring to reveal their graduation year and list of fellow graduates.
Image Courtesy of: Clemson University
The building features a ground floor clubhouse and the Clark Family Pro Shop for the Walker Course, in addition to the Duckworth Family Bistro, known as the Lucky Duck Bistro restaurant, designed by Cooper Carry’s The Johnson Studio. Additional amenities include increased parking, expanded retail space, modern locker rooms for the Walker Course, as well as a first-level patio with interactive outdoor experiences. There are also student support centers, including the Career and Professional Development Center and the Office of Admissions. The third level houses the University Advancement and Foundation offices, which will serve fundraising and alumni engagement efforts in an inspiring setting. Additionally, the top floor includes the Board of Trustees offices and meeting spaces with expansive views of campus.
Image Courtesy of: Clemson University
Every detail was designed with the purpose of connecting people to place. From roof terraces that offer panoramic visuals of the 18th green of the Walker Course and Memorial Stadium to expansive outdoor patios that look out onto the adjacent Lake Hartwell, the building reflects key symbols of the Clemson experience at every level. In keeping with Clemson’s environmental goals, west-facing electrochromic glass was installed that automatically tints based on the time of day and sunlight to maximize energy efficiency.
With versatile shared spaces, unified lobbies on each floor and adaptable layouts throughout, the building allows for the flexibility to accommodate the evolving needs of its users, whether it’s a board meeting, a student tour or an alumni celebration. These spaces foster interaction and promote a welcoming environment for all. A dramatic two-story lobby with a grand staircase connects the first and second floors, anchoring the building’s flow and visual energy.
Image Courtesy of: Clemson University
Though located off the main campus for accessibility and improved traffic flow, the center remains visually and materially connected to Clemson’s architectural language. Subtle uses of metal accents, curated glazing systems and natural wood elements ensure an identical look and feel of other historic buildings on campus, including Cooper Carry-designed Andy Quattlebaum Outdoor Education Center at the Snow Family Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Complex.
“It’s not just an alumni center, it’s an immersive experience that celebrates Clemson’s past, present and future,” said Brian O’Rourke, Vice President for Advancement at Clemson University. “Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center allows us to honor pivotal life moments while offering a space that is engaging, forward-looking and true to who we are.”
For more information on the Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center, visit news.clemson.edu/. To explore Cooper Carry’s portfolio of higher education design, visit www.coopercarry.com/.
ABOUT Cooper Carry
Cooper Carry provides architecture, planning, landscape architecture, interior design, experiential graphic design, branding and sustainability consulting services. Founded in 1960, the firm specializes in the design of education, government, hospitality, mixed-use, office, residential, restaurants, retail, senior living, science + technology, and transit projects. The firm has designed projects in 45 states and globally in the Caribbean, Middle East, Asia, Africa and Central America. Cooper Carry approaches its work as a collaborative ecosystem. Its multiple studios and services come together daily to provide each project the depth of knowledge needed to meet and exceed objectives. Cooper Carry’s leaders are advocates and authorities for their specialties, empowered by decades of expertise to make decisions that prioritize placemaking, civic space, and the greater good of communities, tenants, residents and visitors. For more information, visit Cooper Carry’s website at coopercarry.com and follow the design firm on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
ABOUT Clemson University
One of the most productive public research universities in the nation, Clemson University enrolls 28,747 students across the State of South Carolina and has an endowment of over $1 billion. The University operates Extension offices in every county of the state and has five Innovation Campuses and six Research and Education Center locations. Classified as an R1– Very High Research University by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education – Clemson is dedicated to teaching, research and service. Our main campus, located in Upstate South Carolina, sits on 1,400 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, along the shores of Lake Hartwell.
Through the research, outreach and entrepreneurial projects led by our faculty and students, Clemson University is driving economic development and improving quality of life in South Carolina and beyond. For more information, visit Clemson University’s website at clemson.edu.
Feature Image Courtesy of: Clemson University
