The Creative Arts Center is intended to advance new directions in teaching and research, and cross boundaries between the arts, sciences and the humanities. The 36,000 square feet building includes a 200-seat recital hall and 35mm screening facility, a recording studio, multimedia lab, gallery space, and large multi-purpose production studios.
Next in the species of the loft typology, the building is made of large uninterrupted floor plates with interior surfaces ranging from raw to refined. The building layout utilizes three floor plates that fill the site envelope. These floor plates are cut in the short axis along a shear line, and displaced in section to create six half levels, each with different technical and physical properties. The structured misalignment is a sectional opportunity, allowing each floor to interface two others conjoined by a shear glass wall. The landings of the main circulation stair are expanded and conceived as vertically stacked living rooms for serendipitous and planned encounters.
The new Perry and Marty Granoff Center for Creative Arts is described by DS+R as ‘open source architecture’. The staircases inside the building can be used as informal meeting spaces. The staircase features extended landings, outfitted with seating and low tables, and can serve as lounges. The massive structure is clad in glass and pleated zinc, creating openings for windows in the studios.
