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OF GLASS AND WARMTH AND WOOD
When a theological seminary commissioned a worship space that would be timeless, spiritually uplifting, and ecumenical, architect Joan Soranno returned to first principles, posing to herself the question: "what is each individual's relationship to God?" In a striking play of form and material, her answer offers a fresh take on religious architecture. — Published 2006.0201
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LIBRARY ENLIGHTENED
The original Skillman Library was always a bit of an arsenal for books. Designed by Philadelphia architect Vincent Kling and constructed in 1963 on the campus of Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, it was a limestone and brick fortress with narrow slit windows and all the warmth of a bunker. The design of the limestone cornice at the building's top even suggested battlements. — Published 2006.0125
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BALTIMORE BERYL
The 179-year-old Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is one of the cultural gems of Baltimore, a city that seldom receives the recognition it deserves for its rhythmic 19th-century classical architecture, occasionally edgy 20th-century modernism, and outstanding cultural and educational institutions. — Published 2006.0111
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PIANO TONE
The High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia now bears the signatures of two living masters. Richard Meier designed the original in 1983; the expansion by Renzo Piano opened in November, 2005. The new addition reinforces Piano's reputation as a designer of cultural palaces that are distinctive without being ostentatious — and spare without an overly minimalist chill. — Published 2005.1130
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WHERE THE LAW IS CLEAR
At the University of Hamburg, the new Central Library of Law is a showcase of "green" operations that also projects a literally green, leaf-patterned backdrop for a historic villa. The German firm me di um Achitekten, partners Klaus Roloff and Michael Ruffing, conceived the library as a compact and transparent book warehouse, connected to the existing Faculty of Law building by a glass atrium. The library's facades and atrium perform dual roles of energy conservation and accommodation to the existing campus. — Published 2005.0831
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ALEXANDER CENTERING
From his early Notes of the Synthesis of Form, to the bestselling A Pattern Language, to the recent four-volume The Nature of Order, over several decades Christopher Alexander has pushed intellectual boundaries with integrative approaches to design theory. We are pleased to present this excerpt, formatted according to the original and unedited at the author's request, in which Alexander describes a design process from the 1980s using the terms of his own theoretical framework. — Editor — Published 2005.0727
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AFTER AIR BASE ACTION
The new student union at the Arizona State University's East Campus in Mesa provides the centerpiece to a positive outcome of a military base closing. The campus is located on a former U.S. Air Force base, and this new building, designed by Gould Evans Associates in Phoenix, is a creative interpretation of making a place in the desert. — Published 2005.0629
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COMPUTER-AIDED GREEN DESIGN
Like Renaissance master-builders who analyzed and visualized their designs by working with physical models and full-scale construction, modern architects have opportunities to master a holistic, integrated design process. But today's models are digital, and the "full-scale" construction is virtual, using the newest computer-aided design technologies. — Published 2005.0330
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ROCK OF ARTS
All too often, college campuses tend to "ghettoize" the arts. A special facility is created in an out-of-the-way spot where artsy students hang out and pursue their passions. Science majors, math students, and others who are not "into" the arts might find such an arts center intimidating, or at least mysterious. What's in it for them? — Published 2005.0316
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GREEN BUILDING SCHOOL
At the University of Florida in Gainesville, the new home for the School of Building Construction is setting an example for sustainability on campus. Rinker Hall has achieved a "gold" LEED rating from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Its success has raised the bar for this university's new buildings which will now be expected to meet or exceed LEED silver standards. — Published 2005.0309
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In an Campus Context page: [
