Generic materials are combined to evoke a minimal and industrial aesthetic expressive of engineering.
Todd Schliemann, Design Partner
Three interconnected structures enclose a courtyard on three sides. A dedicated laboratory facility is designed for maximum flexibility; the structural module allows modifications to individual labs as needs change. Large “multi-purpose” spaces with moveable partitions permit a wide range of activities, including lectures, meetings, workshops and symposia.
A second building includes general University classrooms and lecture halls on the ground floor and faculty offices on the upper level. A glass-enclosed bridge at the third level connects the laboratory facility with faculty offices. A student activities building completes the complex.
Campus-oriented façades are rendered in brick and stone. Courtyard-oriented façades utilize translucent materials, undulating surfaces and a smaller scale to distinguish the Department from the greater campus, express the vitality of its academic program and provide an individualized environment for its primary users.
Multiple entries to the courtyard promote its use as a gathering place, a connector to the campus and a venue for exhibiting student work.
The sequence of interior public circulation spaces and exterior open spaces fosters interaction between students and faculty with the Department. Atria and lobbies of varying scales are located at critical circulation nodes throughout the buildings, providing spaces for casual, impromptu encounters outside of classrooms and laboratories.
