Purdue Gateway Arch

Gateway structures are prominent at Purdue University, providing a sense of place and proudly displaying access to different areas of the West Lafayette campus. The University’s gateway at the intersection of State and Grant Streets—the veritable “front door” of campus adjacent to the iconic Purdue Memorial Union building, our structural engineers aided the project and landscape architects in creating an open and inviting space, anchored by a steel-framed archway structure supported by brick- and limestone-clad pillars. Careful attention to detail was needed to efficiently marry the combination of steel and stone.

The structure was designed and detailed with readily available structural steel materials to keep costs in check. Constructing at this urban location required close coordination with existing below-grade utilities to ensure their safety and avoid interruption of services. Helical piles were used as a cost-effective solution to provide adequate support of foundations and avoid impacting below-grade structures, including a critical utility tunnel running immediately adjacent to the gateway structure. The result is a stately and welcoming entrance to one of the world’s great universities.