KENT STATE UNIVERSITY - ESPORTS CENTER​

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Location: Kent, Ohio

Type: Educational

Year: 2019-2021

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E-sports (electronic sports) has become an important recruiting tool and component of student life on college campuses across the country. Payto Architects was commissioned by Kent State University to integrate an E-sports venue and support facility on the second floor of the Main Library at the Kent Campus. Having completed numerous projects within the existing library, we brought a working understanding of the existing building as well as a firm understanding of how to create a high impact project on a limited budget in a limited area.

Design concepts were developed by an outside fundraising group which initiated some large philanthropic gifts to support the program, followed with a key interest by the Provost office to provide this important asset in a highly visible location. Even with the philanthropic efforts, the budget was very tight, requiring some creative decision making in developing the design. 

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The Payto team prides itself in developing designs that are not only architecturally significant but that help our clients achieve $1.50 in impact for every $1.00 spent. We worked closely with the users to develop 6 on 6 competition tables that function as needed but were a fraction of the originally proposed budget.

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