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If you could design an architecture school...

batiment

How would you go about designing an architecture school if the concepts you put forth in the project were to influence the perception of architecture by future students of your school? Is form and order to take precedent over the hyper-media realm of the internet and other hi-technologies? If so, how would you ensure that students are kept up to date with the present field of architecture? If not, how do you ensure that a students interpretation and/or use of technology will result in a educated mediation of more than just what the computer can offer?

I'm sure there are more things to consider here. These are my first thoughts. Any thoughts?

And... just to throw this out: I'm working on a project for school to design an addition to the Architecture building that would become the center and future of the program.

 
Mar 1, 05 3:57 pm

you should definitely do some precedent research into how this problem has been attacked in the past. examples i can think of immediately: in texas - philip johnson's school in houston and rotondi's new architecture school (not yet built). tschumi's new school at florida international university. holl's addition to the school at minnesota - both the built one and the competition winner. rudolph's art and architecture at yale. beeby's (right?) addition at miami of ohio. there are a bunch of them. beyond looking at the designs themselves, see if you can find feedback about them from users (except in the case of the rotondi, of course).

Mar 1, 05 11:32 pm  · 
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weAREtheSTONES

make studio spaces that are large enough for students to design a sufficent work area

Mar 2, 05 3:51 pm  · 
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weAREtheSTONES

and spaces to easily partake in illegal activity

Mar 2, 05 3:51 pm  · 
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zoroaster

Tschumi also did an architecture school just outside of Paris, which if I remember correctly, was pretty assertive in its programmatic articulations (similar to the Florida one, actually, although expressed differently as the climate is different). Morphosis also has a project at Cornell University right now, although I don't really know anything about it other than what I've seen at their (Morphosis's) website.

Also, if you're looking at precedents, don't forget the original Bauhaus..

Mar 3, 05 5:08 pm  · 
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Tectonic

I would want it to be about 50 square miles of open land.

Mar 3, 05 5:22 pm  · 
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spiderdad

crown hall, iit...

probably the best arch studios i have seen. no bullshit, just a simple spacious, open, flexible studio space... i say let the students and the environment do their thing...

Mar 3, 05 6:28 pm  · 
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zoroaster

If you haven't seen Harvard's GSD building, you should also check it out... One big studio space, but stepped down over 3, maybe 4 (?)stories from top to bottom (in transverse section the bldg is essentially a triangle, with studio at the top layer underneath a continous skylight, greenhouse-like roof). Imagine a giant theater seating area, but with studio desks and stools instead of the theater seats. I *believe* the classrooms, etc are all tucked underneath. I've only visited a few times but it made a big impression.

The name is "Gund Hall"; architect's name escapes me right now...

Mar 3, 05 7:52 pm  · 
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cvankle

As for the idea of tech in the studio, obviously it is a neccessary element in an architectural education. However it seems that more and more colleges don't really teach hand drafting or sketching, its all just based on the computer, which I think really limits students, despite all the recent advancements. Not sure how this translates into your school expansion, but the recent arch. school fad of emphasizing software prowess over actual design acuity is really starting to get annoying. And yes I am a student so I have firsthand experience with this.

Mar 3, 05 8:22 pm  · 
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Ms Beary

zoroaster - our office building is like that - each floor is smaller as you go to the top. escalators run between. it is topped with long linear triangluar skylight-roof-monitor-things that reflect and refract the sky - hard to describe as they don't look up to the sky and you can't see the actual skylights only another slanted wall of glass that reflects the skylight's view if that makes any sense. you can really be fooled as to what the weather is actually doing. we are on the 5th floor, the top dogs, I am near the edge. it is quiet, yet noisy - it hums from business. but otherwise pretty cool. it has catwalks across the atrium - but the vistas just aren't there like I want them to be. once a year, we throw paper airplanes over the edge. 100 points to reach to bottom. mine land on 4th - 10 points

Mar 3, 05 11:17 pm  · 
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anotherquestion

showers

Mar 5, 05 1:57 am  · 
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