Perkins School for the Blind propels its Watertown, MA, campus into the future with the dedication of the Grousbeck Center for Students & Technology on Monday, Nov. 7.
Inspired by a parent’s observation that her teen-aged son was missing out on the kinds of natural social interactions that help youngsters become young adults, the new building contains space for playing high-tech games, making music, learning about new technology, practicing vocational skills and just plain hanging out.
Built by Shawmut Design and Construction from architectural plans created by the Gund Partnership, each aspect of the 17,000 sf. Grousbeck Center is designed to enable innovation, interaction, and independence. Singular features like the world’s first interactive tactile audio campus map and a 3D topographical map that was sculpted by a robotic arm add to the futuristic feel.
The Grousbeck Center is unique because it is not only a Student Center, but also a world-class teacher training facility. Controlled by iPads, which are readily accessible to people with visual impairments, meeting and training rooms at the Grousbeck Center are wired for international access to connect educators in all corners of the globe through video conferencing.
The Grousbeck Center was built with a lead gift of $10 million from the Grousbeck Family Foundation. That leadership gift has been a key element in Perkins ongoing Touch Our World Comprehensive Campaign to raise $130 million. The funds will advance capital projects such as the Grousbeck Center, technology upgrades, educational programs, the Braille and Talking Book Library and international partnerships. As of this summer, the campaign has raised $104 million, with 20 months to go. BD+C
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Report: Building codes and regulations impede progress toward uber-green buildings
The enthusiasm for super green Living Buildings continues unabated, but a key stumbling block to the growth of this highest level of green building performance is an existing set of codes and regulations. A new report by the Cascadia Region Green Building Council entitled "Code, Regulatory and Systemic Barriers Affecting Living Building Projects" presents a case for fundamental reassessment of building codes.
| Aug 11, 2010
Call for entries: Building enclosure design awards
The Boston Society of Architects and the Boston chapter of the Building Enclosure Council (BEC-Boston) have announced a High Performance Building award that will assess building enclosure innovation through the demonstrated design, construction, and operation of the building enclosure.
| Aug 11, 2010
Portland Cement Association offers blast resistant design guide for reinforced concrete structures
Developed for designers and engineers, "Blast Resistant Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Structures" provides a practical treatment of the design of cast-in-place reinforced concrete structures to resist the effects of blast loads. It explains the principles of blast-resistant design, and how to determine the kind and degree of resistance a structure needs as well as how to specify the required materials and details.
| Aug 11, 2010
ACSA announces 2008-2009 ACSA/AISC steel design student competition winners
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) is pleased to announce the winners of the ninth annual steel design student competition for the 2008-2009 academic year. Administered by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the program challenged students, working individually or in teams, to explore a variety of design issues related to the use of steel in design and construction.
| Aug 11, 2010
ZweigWhite Announces 2009 Best Firms to Work For
Management consulting and research firm ZweigWhite has identified the best civil engineering, structural engineering, multidiscipline A/E services, environmental services, and architecture firms to work for in its annual ranking of top industry firms. These outstanding employers were selected based on their commitment to provide a positive work environment and challenging and interesting work opportunities for their employees.
| Aug 11, 2010
Autodesk 2010 Certification Now Available for Design Professionals
Autodesk, Inc., (Nasdaq: ADSK), today announced that design and engineering professionals can become Autodesk Certified in AutoCAD 2010, Autodesk Inventor 2010, Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010, and AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 software. Becoming Autodesk Certified allows professionals, and companies boasting Autodesk Certified employees, to validate their industry skills and knowledge, demonstrate expertise and gain credibility.
