First look: Studio Gang's residential/dining commons for University of Chicago
By BD+C Staff
The University of Chicago has steadily been adding modern buildings to its venerable collegiate Gothic campus, with recent facilities by Tod Williams Billie Tsien, Rafael Viñoly, and Helmut Jahn. The latest: a $148 million residence hall and dining commons by Studio Gang Architects, tentatively slated for completion in 2016. Recipient of the 2013 National Design Award, Studio Gang is well-known in Chicago for its Aqua multifamily residential project.
The University of Chicago design combines three facilities of 11, 15, and 5 stories, each ~250 ft long—forming a new gateway to the campus's northeast corner. The scheme accommodates the university's "house system," where faculty members, grad students, and undergraduates share common residential facilities. Central three-story lounges are intended to promote interaction. The program also includes some ancillary spaces: classrooms, multipurpose rooms, offices, and a small amount of retail space.
Mortenson Construction will build the project.
Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin provides more information in a video linked below.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-jeanne-gang-architect-university-chicago-dorm-20130422,0,6435716.story?track=rss
