Brandcenter’s creative space

New educational space matches program’s mission

Bright green floors. Metal staircase. An upstairs patio perfect for sipping a drink. Ping-pong, pool and foosball in the basement. Cool, roll-up doors that let the breeze flow in and the sounds of the Neville Brothers waft out, greeting passers-by.

A swanky, new downtown hotspot where all the hipsters hang out? Try again.

An educational space that melds creativity and business savvy? Exactly.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter’s new home is a far cry from other, more traditional buildings on campus. The mission to move the Brandcenter into a permanent location began about five years ago, when Rick Boyko, former chief creative officer and co-president of Ogilvy and Mather Worldwide Inc., became managing director of the program. From the beginning, he stressed the need for a suitable home and told VCU President Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D., that the old Central Belting Building would be the perfect location.

Fortunately, VCU owned the property. Longtime benefactors Dianne and C. Kenneth Wright had donated it in 1999.

“When I donated the building, it was with the idea of enabling VCU to expand east across Belvidere Street,” Kenneth Wright said.

But there was a caveat, recalled Dr. Trani at the Brandcenter’s grand opening in March: When discussing donating the building, which had served as the headquarters of Kenneth Wright’s business, he said to Dr. Trani, “You are going to save the building, right?”

The new 27,000-square-foot space — designed by internationally renowned architect Clive Wilkinson, creator of spaces for Google, the Disney Store and advertising agencies such as TBWA/Chiat/Day in Los Angeles — incorporates many features from the old structure, including exposed wooden beams, wood floors, brick walls and parts of the original elevator, which was used for storing carriages belonging to guests of The Jefferson Hotel.

The Wrights’ property gift served as the catalyst for the development of the 11-acre Monroe Park Campus Addition, which also includes Snead Hall for the School of Business and East Hall for the School of Engineering, as well as the 689-space Jefferson Street Parking Deck. A residential college, complete with a full-service Chili’s and a Starbucks, is scheduled to open this fall.

“This hardscrabble piece of earth has never been as good as it is now,” Dr. Trani said at the celebration.

The opening of the new building also signals the investment of resources, energy and support of the advertising world in the program.

Michael Roth, chairman of Interpublic Group, told the crowd that the program is addressing, with “passion and talent,” issues that the advertising industry is facing.

When he was asked to make a gift to the campaign during a major downturn in his company’s business, Roth bit the bullet and donated $1 million. His philosophy: “Put your money where your mouth is, if you believe in something.”

He saw the Brandcenter program as a source of outstanding future advertising and branding professionals.

“Without talent, you can’t have sustainability to prosper,” Roth said. “It was our chance to make a step forward and to set an example for the industry and our company.”

Another major benefactor of the program has been Yahoo, which committed $500,000 to name the Yahoo Big Idea Student Lounge in the building. The company’s consigliere and Brandcenter board of directors member Matthew J. Scheckner secured the entertainment for the grand-opening festivities.

The board met secretly to discuss possibilities, Sheckner said. They chose the Neville Brothers, he said, because “the group epitomizes the four attributes of the Brandcenter: creativity, sustainability, heart and soul.”

The Brandcenter students exhibited that heart and soul through a personal thank you to the Wrights.

“The Brandcenter students sent us a large poster signed by them with notes of thanks and how much it has meant to them; how much better they can concentrate and accomplish their work than their previous location before moving into these truly unique new quarters,” Kenneth Wright said. “The acknowledgment and expressions of gratitude are humbling and satisfying to us both. We feel great pride in being significant participants in the growth and expansion of VCU.”

To make a gift to the VCU Brandcenter, contact Beth Harrington, senior director of development, at (804) 828-8384 or ekharrington@vcu.edu.