Page 26 - College Planning & Management, July/August 2017

CAPITALIZING ON COLLEGE SPACES AND PLACES
that MFA candidates expect. Spacesmith’s design adapts the vestigial industrial area’s raw finishes to new uses, adding 10,000 square feet of new and renovated space, including fresh photography studios, classrooms and administrative spaces. Brick pavers complement new concrete and wood
steps, simple steel guardrails and gallery- white partitions with sleek ribbons of glass to naturally illuminate offices. Overhead are subtle grey felt acoustical panels and varied high-efficiency light fixtures.
With new exhibition space and a cool vibe, this once-undervalued area has become
a hub not only of photography studies but also for the school overall. “The space was envisioned to be a place to gather our whole community, and it’s really working beauti- fully, representing the school as ought to be, enhanced in every way.” says Charles Traub, chair of the MFA Photography department.
Invest in Creative Adaptations
The SVA project also shows how strategic planning helps colleges evalu-
ate space and leverage resources — by investing at the point of greatest impact. At too many universities, capital investments are showered on alumni halls and athletic facilities; sort of a knee-jerk response. In one example reported by The Washington Post, the University of Louisiana-Monroe’s Museum of Natural History, for example, must downsize its prestigious research col- lection for expanded track facilities.
On the other hand, we’re seeing more creative adaptations of facilities on and near campus, from boiler plants to stables to equipment sheds. Even commercial buildings can serve the mission: at Benedictine Univer- sity in downtown Mesa, AZ, a landmark hotel is now housing for 63 students, the school announced earlier this year. The Alhambra Hotel has been on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places since 1991, and the cost for conversion to dorms, disclosed by the school as $3.3 million, seems very reasonable.
In all cases, the key is to evaluate — by planning strategically for the highest and best uses — and then to pinpoint creative ways institutionscanleveragebuiltresources. CPM
Jane Smith, FAIA, is a national leader in architecture, interiors and higher education and a Fellow of the AIA. She is found-
ing partner of the award-winning firm Spacesmith (www.spacesmith.com) and she has also served as chair of the Depart- ment of Interior Design at the School of Visual Arts since 2006. She is the VP, Profes- sional Development for AIANY. Smith has helped change the profession, especially for women, as her firm of over 25 employees has designed a wide range of acclaimed building and interiors projects for noted clients.
26 COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / JULY/AUGUST 2017
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