Strategic simplicity

The building integrates elemental construction methods in a new approach to spaces for exploratory studio production. Rather than adding layers of sustainable technology, the design distills the performance of each of its components. New 25cm thick concrete tilt-up walls obviate the need for waterproofing membranes and insulation, and minimize construction waste. The walls provide thermal mass on southwest zones, enclosing interior and exterior commingling workshops, classrooms, galleries and gardens. The lightweight roof minimizes opaque enclosure in favor of diffusing sunlight with polycarbonate panels which shade unconditioned work zones. The fluidity of interior and exterior space maximizes the benefits of passive ventilation through roof venting over conditioned air distribution. 

Sustainable resource management

The primary goal of the Graduate Art Studios is to retain the provisional character of the existing studios while incorporating essential student facilities. The new addition – an L-shaped building comprised of conditioned and naturally ventilated spaces – is inherently adaptive to future change by fusing together new and old structures to allow differentiated use to unfold freely, while stitching the new complex into the surrounding fabric. The total occupiable area of the site increases by half, and 19 % of the new building is reimagined as cost effective, passively cooled and shaded outdoor communal production space. Using tilt up concrete over a precast saves construction time and USD 800,000 in material transport costs. The project is financed by local philanthropic sources.

Adapting for a flexible future

21st century creative learning environments must address their environmental context and the demands for continuous change in production space. Through adaptive reuse and new construction – employing the industrial vernacular bow truss roof and tilt-up wall – our design treats space as infrastructure where combinations of underdetermined program spaces intertwine individual studios and shared laboratory spaces with concentrated areas of mechanical cooling. The longevity of this inherently adaptive building comes from a focus on the fundamentals of proportion, atmosphere and material economy. The architecture optimizes sequence and adjacency on the interior as well as connections to the surrounding city on the exterior in an exceptional industrial space that is informal enough to create in.