A. Alfred Taubman Wing, University of Michigan by Preston Scott Cohen, Inc.

Article source: Preston Scott Cohen, Inc. 

Introduction:

The principal goal of the new Taubman Building is to create a new center for the school, a space called the commons, which will enable new forms of collaboration between faculty, staff and students and between the Architecture and Planning programs.

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

• Design Architect: Preston Scott Cohen, Inc.
• Project: A. Alfred Taubman Wing, University of Michigan
• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
• Architect of Record: Integrated Design Solutions
• Photography: James Haefner
• Client: A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning
• Owner: University of Michigan
• Total construction cost: $22,600,000
• Gross square footage: 36,000
• Total project cost: $28,500,00
• Completion date: September 2017

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Site:

Among the most important and interesting challenges was a twofold demand: on the one hand, to create a 36,000 ft2 building that would stretch from the existing architecture /planning wing of the college all the way to Bonisteel Blvd and on the other hand, to make this building that is on the eastern end of the existing building act as if it is in the center of the school, in order that it will serve as the nexus of circulation for all students and faculty. In short, the goal was to establish a center within a linear edge building.

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

In order to make the square footage of the three story building stretch as far as it needed to, half of the ground floor was evacuated, which created an outdoor experimental gallery for student projects. Lifting the commons off the ground this way solved several other problems; it permitted the courtyard between the existing and new buildings to remain open to the valley and retention pond to the east, allowed the new building to create a path through – between the existing and the new -, and it established an ascending and continuous sequence of interior spaces.

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

In contrast to the low slung two story existing Art program’s wing on Bonisteel, the new building articulates a striking silhouette, by virtue of its taller three story height, its sawtooth roof, and its skewed angle on the site which permits its corner to stick out past the art wing. The plan of the building on the site has the added advantage of creating a forced perspective-like spatial effect, which funnels people in and points them toward the courtyard entrance to the existing building.

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

It is less an object building than a means to make space and a sequence through the campus. The courtyard is not enclosed, but is certainly more definitively captured and active than ever before.

Interior

The commons is composed of two pairs of ramps linked by a spiral-like suspended stair. The solid parts of the railings are kept low to enable viewing of the central space from afar and to articulate a remarkable scale effect.

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © James Haefner

Image Courtesy © Preston Scott Cohen, Inc.

Image Courtesy © Preston Scott Cohen, Inc.

Image Courtesy © Preston Scott Cohen, Inc.

Image Courtesy © Preston Scott Cohen, Inc.

Tags: Michigan, USA

Categories: Building, Campus, University, University Building

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