Professor: David Bell

The objective is to design a school of architecture in the city of Troy, NY that reacts to the local climate and surrounding context as well as strengthens the sense of community and interactions between RPI students, staff, and faculty and the people of troy. The building is designed to block the prevailing winds from the north west in the winter to decrease wind chill and allow the prevailing winds from the south to ventilate the courtyard during the hot and humid summer. The building is composed of two large wings that open up to the city of troy in order to provide a welcoming area where the students, staff, and faculty of RPI can interact with the people of Troy. The courtyard produced by the opening of the structure also acts as a viewing area for the monument. The program is designed so that the public areas are on the bottom floors as main generators for community interactions. In addition, the studio’s are all on one floor so that different years can learn from and interact with one another.