Jaime Benítez Rexach Building

Project by Toro Ferrer Arquitectos

To accommodate a growing student population, the Faculty of General Studies has been expanded with a four-story annex, marking a new eastern entrance to the Río Piedras Campus. The new building defines the General Studies Quadrangle, a green space east of the original 1970 building, which was remodeled in 2013. A striking brise-soleil on the east façade, developed in collaboration with artist Nayda Collazo Lloréns and made of perforated aluminum sheets, provides sun and hurricane protection while reinforcing the building’s identity. Concrete bas-relief walls with punched openings echo its pattern, filtering light and breezes.

The ground floor is an open, flexible space for gatherings, informal classes, and performances, reflecting the tropical climate and the campus’s tradition of open-air environments. Classrooms on the second and third levels face the tree-lined quad to the west, while faculty offices behind the brise-soleil overlook the eastern entry. The fourth level houses mechanical systems.

A multi-level, sky-lit gallery unifies all floors, funneling cooling breezes throughout the building’s open areas. The choice of materials—exposed reinforced concrete and aluminum louvered windows—reflects local market availability and expertise. Skilled local labor enables the nearby production of aluminum extrusions, while concrete, the preferred material for seismic and extreme tropical conditions, ensures durability. Custom-designed colored concrete benches, created by architect and industrial designer Maruja Fuentes, subtly contrast the raw concrete palette. This expansion strengthens the school’s role as an academic gateway while integrating art, climate responsiveness, and campus continuity.