Otis College of Art & Design Campus Expansion

Project Details

Project Description

For nearly twenty years this art and design school’s campus was comprised of eclectic buildings and no real sense of a “place.” This new LEED Platinum certified expansion adds nearly 100,000 sf of building to the tight site, and creates a central quad and cohesive campus feeling that the students were missing before.

The new 90,000 sf building contains two wings, dubbed the academic and residential wing. This mixed-use building contains several educationally innovative design features that underline the mission of the college, and fosters interdisciplinary learning between student, staff and faculty. A freestanding Maker Space/Model Shop was also included in the scope.

Upon completing the masterplan and programming effort, the design team determined that consolidating the dispersed multi-campus departments onto one site not only fosters interdisciplinary learning, but creates a unique town square that is the campus heart. Drawing inspiration from fashion, a vibrant color palette, i.e. stairs, stitch the new and existing together. The metal skin replicates folding fabric while reflecting natural light. Student-centered activities, located on the ground floor create synergy around the vibrant new quad. Color became a major design element and was used to designate specific program areas, assist with wayfinding and unify the campus architecture. Materials such as cast-in-place concrete, pleated and perforated metal, slatted wood, prefinished plywood, clear plexiglass, colored resin and felt were chosen and paired together in various ways to evoke a sense of craft and trigger thinking about design and fabrication.

SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES
Through the programming and early schematic design process the design team showcased the potential of sustainable design while sticking to the tight budget for construction. The team identified that LEED Platinum would be achievable and have long-term benefits for the students and staff living and working there. One of the goals was to integrate sustainable design in cost-effective and visually pleasing ways, starting with the basics.

Solar geometry strategies included designing long rectangular masses along with ample vertical glazing provide plentiful daylight within interior spaces, complete with overhangs on level 1 and a green roof above the dining commons. This green roof not only provides visual respite for the residents living in the dorms above, but also helps keep the dining commons cool. Other roof surfaces are using high albedo reflective roof material (sarnafil) and the hardscape is also highly reflective to reduce heat island effect.

Water strategies include a centralized underground stormwater system and open vegetated spaces with pervious landscape on the site maximize infiltration. Given the drought conditions during the design of this project, native plants and drought-tolerant landscape were selected for the exterior.

On the interior low/no VOC paints, sealants and adhesives were used both for sustainability reasons and to increase occupant comfort upon move in. The project was completed just 1 month before students would be moving into the dormitories, so the design team was conscious of their initial experience. Dimmable daylight and vacancy sensor lighting was installed to help students have more control over their space, while saving power.

The large photovoltaic array accounts for the majority of the renewable power for this new expansion, resulting in a savings of over 21% in energy costs.

Other elements that helped the project achieve LEED Platinum include the ample bike parking, reserved spaces for low-emitting and electric vehicles and the use of local and recycled materials for construction.