VanHoesen Hall, A-Wing

HOLT provided design services for this lobby addition to the Van Hoesen Hall and Cornish Hall complex of buildings. The addition acts as a campus node and new major building entrance that provides ADA accessibility for the complex. This project was the first phase of a series of projects that would culminate in the creation of a new Child Care Center and School of Education, and the eventual renovation and improvements to Cornish Hall. The addition features a curtain wall of glass that creates a welcoming and easily identifiable entry point for the building complex.

The HOLT team utilized 3D computer modeling techniques to convey proposed design ideas and this technique resulted in a swift consen­sus on the design among the committee of faculty and staff members. Additionally, the computer sun study modeling illustrated the amount of solar gain the curtain wall of glass would receive so that the mechanical systems could be appropriately positioned and sized. The design team worked very closely with the college to minimize the impact of construction on the campus. Multiple phasing concepts were discussed and vetted, and an appropriate plan was implemented that minimized to all extents possible the impacts of construction on the building occupants and the campus at large.