Rutgers University – Adult Autism Services Community Center

Owner / Architect: Rutgers University / KSS Architects

Epic Interiors’ role: Subcontractor 

Project scope: The Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services Community Center is a 10,000-square-foot facility located on the Douglass Campus of Rutgers University-New Brunswick. It is the first of its kind at a higher education institution in the U.S. The state-of-the-art building includes areas for vocational, social, and life skills training, as well as individual and group rooms. It also features a professional kitchen, recreational spaces, offices, and meeting rooms.

The building is a steel-framed, Type IIB structure. Its exterior includes a masonry cavity wall with clinker brick and limestone cladding, cement fiberboard soffits, curtainwall, and storefront window systems. A wood slat screen system provides shading for the façade, entry trellis, and pavilion. The roof structure slopes in several areas inside the building, with clerestory glazing. The roofing material features a membrane system with decorative battens.

The building’s design draws inspiration from nature, using natural materials like wood and stone. Features such as the pitched roof, flooring, lighting, and landscaping help connect occupants to the natural environment. The design also addresses sensory impacts, using noise-reducing materials and soft-edged alcoves for privacy.

The site includes a landscaped courtyard with exposed aggregate concrete walkways, pole-mounted lighting, site furnishings, a steel and wood trellis, concrete sidewalks, and asphalt parking areas. Additional improvements include retaining walls, regrading, stormwater infrastructure, and signage. The project also required new utility connections and the relocation of utilities.