Contract Magazine - September 2018 - 46

EDUCATION

Key Design Highlights
Copper clads most of the
building envelope, giving it a
distinct appearance but also
alluding to the region's copper
mines and Pierre Lassonde's
metals business.
The 20,000-square-foot Garage
is a makerspace available to
anyone 24/7; its glazed
floor-to-ceiling walls bring in
light and engage other students,
faculty, and visitors on campus.
Anticipating the school's
changing spatial needs,
CannonDesign routed the
utilities through a central core
and arranged rooms around
structural bays, making future
interior wall removal possible
without disrupting infrastructure.
Each residential floor features a
glazed elevator lobby lounge
that helps reorient students via
campus view.
Four types of accommodation
are offered in the building:
single or double rooms,
apartment-style lofts that
house four occupants and
feature a common area with
kitchenette, and studio suites
of shared common spaces with
20 minimal sleeping quarters
referred to as pods.

46

component and diverse array of seating areas-
made up of colorful, movable lounge furniture-
allows students to interact how and wherever they
wish in a non-institutional setting. Much like a
co-working space, there are also ample open desks
and nine enclosed offices, the latter of which are
awarded to students for a full semester to run their
startups and meet with clients.
But the main attraction of the ground level is
the "Garage." Inspired by the successful
entrepreneurs who started in their own garages
(such as Apple's Steve Jobs), the Garage is a 24/7
makerspace staffed by students. Work tables, a
woodshop, metal shop, 3D printer room, tools, and
materials are all free to use without a reservation or
advanced order, making it effortless for anyone to
walk in and start prototyping a concept, sew a loose
button, or make a personalized trunk sticker. "We
really try to enable students to do things without a
lot of interference from us," says Troy D'Ambrosio,
executive director of the institute. "We try to get out
of their way."
Responding to the school's desire to engage the
rest of the campus with this building, CannonDesign
glazed the Garage from floor to ceiling. The
makerspace activities pique curiosity in the minds of
passersby who, regardless of major or enrollment
status, can utilize the Garage resources and
ground-floor lounge spaces too.

The four residential floors above encourage
interaction while displaying individualism through
unique themes. Stepping off the elevator, residents of
every floor arrive at a central lobby with glazing that
affords natural light and campus views. Equipment,
graphics, finishes, and furnishings in these lobbies
convey the floor's theme. The design and art level, for
instance, features a craft table, sewing machine, and
greenscreen photography setup. On the adventure
and gear floor, there are stations for waxing skis or
repairing bikes, and hammock-like hanging chairs.
The gaming and digital media floor boasts a six-player
game wall, while the global impact and sustainability
floor features a hydroponic garden and giant map for
students to pin locations where they want to make
an impact.
Accommodations are compact and range from
single and double rooms to apartment-like lofts and,
the most extreme, suites with 20 sleeping pods
(cozy single-bed units furnished with just the
essentials such as a wardrobe and TV) that share a
common area and full kitchen. All of the sleeping
quarters are designed to keep residents from
isolating themselves and prod them to utilize the
building's public spaces. Even the laundry room on
each residential floor is meant to foster interaction:
The washers and dryers are free to use, centrally
located, and walled off by glass to promote eye
contact that can lead to spontaneous conversation.
contractdesign.com

SEPTEMBER 2018
http://www.contractdesign.com
Contract Magazine - September 2018

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