The new 57,664-square-foot home for the School of Computer Science and Mathematics occupies a prominent site at the heart of Marist College's campus, which sits atop a bluff overlooking the Hudson River and its magnificent valley. The Hancock Center carries forward the quiet Gothic architectural tradition established by the Marist Brothers at the turn of the 20th century, with its rustic stone walls, red brick window surrounds, and limestone detailing.

The Hancock Center is organized by an "L"-shaped plan that improves the definition of two of the campus's green spaces, the Hudson Meadow and the Quadrangle. The main entrance is located at the base of a generous stair tower that serves as a beacon for the college, visible from the campus entry gate and from across the river. A second entrance off the Meadow offers 24-hour access to the building's three computer laboratories. To the west, a three-story wing provides offices for faculty and administrators as well as conference and seminar rooms; a lower level tucked into the slope of the site accommodates offices and computer labs. The north wing houses technology development suites on the ground floor and two levels of classrooms above. The suites, which include a technology showcase, collaborative work/study spaces, and a back-up disaster recovery center for IBM, are developed as a naturally-lit gallery punctuated by windows and doors which open out to a quiet patio for seasonal gatherings and functions.

Our concept envisioned the Hancock Center as the first part of phased sequence of new construction and building replacement that will take advantage of the spectacular Hudson Valley vistas and, by removing earlier insensitive development, organize the campus around a variety of open spaces that complement the extraordinary topography.