The new home for the Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Studies inspires collaborative research and interaction, and anchors the corner of the mid block Campus Walk and an important city cross street, opening to both the neighborhood and the campus community.
Conceived as a research volume floating above a transparent ground level for teaching spaces and public lobby, the building is compact in overall form and refined in detail. The three upper stories house study and research in highly efficient office and lab layouts surrounding a central skylit atrium and informal gathering places. Adjacent to the atrium, a tall Commons for meeting and café overlooks the Campus Walk and is expressed as a large portal on the exterior. The research levels are organized with faculty offices clustered together to increase collegiality and collaboration, separate from labs where they meet with their research groups.
A sustainable building concept informs both the layout and the envelope. Research offices are located on North and East sides of the building with translucent and clear glass to bring in maximum daylight. Vertical operable windows in playful modulation enliven the long glass walls. Laboratories are located on the South and West sides enclosed with terra cotta panels and sun-shielded smaller openings to control heat and light gain in sensitive work spaces. A green roof terrace above the Commons provides an outdoor space of relaxation for the researchers.
At both the city scale and the building scale, the building invites exploration, interaction, and collaboration.
