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Goshow Architects

Goshow Architects

New York, NY

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enclosing an existing outdoor courtyard
enclosing an existing outdoor courtyard
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Queensborough Community College Science Building Atrium

Enclosure of an existing, but underutilized, outdoor courtyard to create gathering space for students.

Queensborough Community College (QCC), a commuter campus in Queens, NY, boasts a student population of over 16,000 and courses lasting from 8:00am to 10:30pm, creating a dire need of centralized dining and recreation space on campus between classes. To meet this need, Goshow Architects is enclosing an existing outdoor courtyard within the QCC Science Building  in 2 phases to create this multi-purpose student facility - a strategy which has kept the project on time and on-budget.
Goshow harnessed the space’s most valuable asset, daylight. We covered the space with an ETFE film which is 1% the weight of glass, transmits more light, and costs 24% to 70% less to install. By designing the rest of the space with neutral colors, durable materials and a dash of greenery, students can enjoy the natural light all year.

 
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Status: Built
Location: Queens, NY, US
Firm Role: Architects-designers and planners; Project Relevancies: Adaptive Reuse, NYC Construction, Construction in Occupied Building, Zoning/Building Code Review
Additional Credits: Queensborough Community College
photos by: Timothy Bell

 
Goshow harnessed the space’s most valuable asset, daylight.
Goshow harnessed the space’s most valuable asset, daylight.
Open air courtyard entrance
Open air courtyard entrance