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Sanjay Gangal
Sanjay Gangal is the President of IBSystems, the parent company of AECCafe.com, MCADCafe, EDACafe.Com, GISCafe.Com, and ShareCG.Com. Northeastern Illinois University – El Centro in Chicago by JGMAJuly 4th, 2018 by Sanjay Gangal
Article source: JGMA The Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) El Centro intends to inspire minority students, most of which will become the first in their family’s history to attain higher education. The main objective for this project was to create a building that would become a beacon for the community and inspire students from various ethnic backgrounds. It aspires to break down the emotional and psychological barriers of walking into a college building to provide a sense of belonging, create a sense of place, and make students, faculty, and the community feel welcomed.  Image Courtesy © JGMA
 Image Courtesy © JGMA El Centro is the first component in a satellite campus master plan envisioned by NEIU to provide educational, career and cultural opportunities the northwest communities of Chicago. The El Centro campus seeks to revitalize the swath of industrial land bordered by Kimball Avenue, a Metra commuter rail line, and the John F. Kennedy expressway, while serving as a catalyst for further development in the area. These key components of community and infrastructure will support the campus and surrounding area to become more business, pedestrian, and bicycle friendly.  Image Courtesy © JGMA  Image Courtesy © JGMA The building’s location on a site bordering the busy expressway offers an opportunity for NEIU to use the architecture as a valuable marketing tool. Unlike a billboard, the architecture asserts its presence through twisting roof forms and the bold NEIU school colors prominent on the vertical louvers rhythmically arrayed along the building’s facades. The facade projects the strong impression of NEIU as a role model in the community of higher education with a commitment to excellence, access to opportunity, and diversity.  Image Courtesy © JGMA  Image Courtesy © JGMA The building’s sculptural form and vibrant facade are layered with exterior vertical louvers and fully-glazed single-loaded corridors to create an efficient sun-shading and acoustic-buffering barrier, protecting students from intense western sunlight and roar of rush hour traffic. The solid portion at the base of the building houses NEIU’s art collection in a linear gallery which connects the expansive, double-height multi-purpose / lobby area with the student resource center at the opposite end. From there the building rises along with tiered theater style seating which define the space and connect it to the stacked classrooms on the second and third floors. The building culminates at the student lounge where the ceiling sweeps upward, framing views to the Chicago skyline and a lush green terrace beyond. The NEIU El Centro Campus is a project completely engrossed in and belonging to its location and community and reinforces Chicago’s identity as a city rich in educational and architectural cultures.  Image Courtesy © JGMA  Image Courtesy © JGMA  Image Courtesy © JGMA  Image Courtesy © JGMA  Image Courtesy © JGMA
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