An update has been provided for the Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R)-led Center for Collaborative Arts & Technology (CCAT) design at the University of New Mexico’s main Albuquerque campus.
The $65 million project is 60,000 square feet in total, establishing a new gateway to campus at Stanford Drive and Central Avenue.
DS+R is working locally with the firm ROMA Architecture on what is the sole new construction realized as part of Studio Ma’s 2021 master plan for the College of Fine Arts.
Inside the building, a 600-seat multi-purpose performance hall serves students and faculty alongside supportive "dynamic collaborative workspaces." A transparent "Super Lobby" is created by slicing through the three floating volumes horizontally at Level 2. A new, state-of-the-art ARTSLab with an in-house fabrication facility takes its place above it on the third level. These spaces match the design brief's stated purpose of establishing the CCAT as a hub for the next generation of artists and musicians to call home.
Each volume rests on a podium and helps to shelter outdoor courtyard areas, united by a pin connection. Piers made from a rammed earth aggregate allow the design to rest on a relatively shallow foundation. A roof terrace completes the design, which is clad in a natural stone material to evoke the surrounding landscape and Sandia Mountains.
The remaining program includes a below-ground sound stage, 1,200-square-foot art gallery on Level 1, and a 1,000-square-foot, 40-seat classroom space on Level 3. Jaffe Holden was responsible for designing its acoustical configuration.
Michael Hix, the Chair of UNM's Department of Music said it will impact his students and colleagues in "many profound ways." UNM's vice president for UNM Institutional Support Services, Shauna Wolfe, agreed in saying it was also a "symbol of what can be achieved when we invest in higher education and in the future of our students."
Benjamin Gilmartin is the partner-in-charge of the project, which targets a LEED Silver certification. A groundbreaking ceremony at the site has been announced for next Tuesday, October 15th. The university had said they expect construction to wrap up by the end of 2026.
5 Comments
Beautiful form and engineering. I will be looking forward to seeing it when it's done.
agree orhan. it reminds me of the tate in a lot of ways. Quite restrained for D+SR somehow.
Will, structurally, I speculate there's some resemblance to the Broad Museum in Los Angeles with the structural engineer Nabih Youssef Associates.
In the Broad, the building sits on a three-legged design allowing the featured precast skin and the core building to move independently. An intricate structural relationship was achieved and responsive to different movements. One of the senior people on the team explained this fascinating design to me. I remember seeing it in an article as well. I don't know the full ramifications of this in ABQ which is not known as an earthquake geology.
I keep staring at the section drawing and wonder how it stands. One point on the ground and I assume extensive cantilevering for a whole wing! But then I still have trouble believing those skinny wings can keep an airplane in the air. (I have flown.)
I would like to see an explanation of structure, if that is ever possible.
Mesa-like abstractions floating in the air, in Arizona—I do like this.
I dont think that massive cantilever will happen
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