Arcus Center For Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College in Michigan by Studio Gang Architects

Article source: Studio Gang Architects 

Historically, convening for social justice has taken place in informal settings—a church basement, a living room, or even around a kitchen table.

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership brings these discussions up from the basement and squarely into public consciousness.

Image Courtesy © Iwan Baan

• Architects: Studio Gang Architects
• Project: Arcus Center For Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College
• Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
• Photography: Iwan Baan and Hedrich Blessing
  
• Client: Kalamazoo College
• Structural Engineering: Thornton Tomasetti
  
• Landscape Architect/Civil Engineering: Viridis Design Group
  
• MEP/FP: Diekema Hamann
  
• Cost Estimator: Davis Langdon (AECOM)
  
• Size: 10,000 sf
• Status: Built 2014

Image Courtesy © Iwan Baan

The Arcus Center works to develop and sustain leaders in the fields of human rights and social justice. As a learning environment and meeting space, it brings together students, faculty, visiting scholars, social justice leaders, and members of the public for conversation and activities aimed at creating a more just world.

Image Courtesy © Iwan Baan

Image Courtesy © Iwan Baan

“Social justice recognizes the inherent dignity of all people and values every life equally. It calls for both personal reflection and social change to ensure that each of us has the right and the opportunity to thrive in our communities, regardless of our identities. When we acknowledge that oppression exists and work together to end systemic discrimination and structural inequities, we increase the promise of a more just world.”

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Supporting this important work, the center’s design is visually open and activated by daylight. The plan encourages convening in configurations that begin to break down psychological and cultural barriers between people and help facilitate understanding. The presence of a living room, hearth, and kitchen for sharing food at the center of the building creates the potential for frequent informal meetings and casual, chance encounters.

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

The wood masonry utilized for the building’s exterior is a low-tech and relatively inexpensive method of building assembly used to achieve a high-performance facade. The wood walls sequester more carbon than was released in building them, responding to today’s need to reduce carbon pollution—one of many environmental issues embraced by social justice movements.

Image Courtesy © Iwan Baan

Image Courtesy © Iwan Baan

Image Courtesy © Iwan Baan

Image Courtesy © Iwan Baan

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Hedrich Blessing

Image Courtesy © Studio Gang Architects

Image Courtesy © Studio Gang Architects

Image Courtesy © Studio Gang Architects

Image Courtesy © Studio Gang Architects

Tags: Michigan, USA

Categories: Activity Center, Cultural Center, Educational Center, Educational Institute, office Complex, Offices, Social Centre

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