The recent transformation of Cornell University’s 160,000-sf Upson Hall could become a blueprint for how this Ivy League college updates other buildings within the engineering quad of its Ithaca, N.Y., campus.
The $74 million project maximized Upson Hall’s interior space featuring four new conference rooms, three social lounges, and public corridors for collaborative learning and research. Advanced envelope, HVAC, and lighting systems were installed to boost the building’s energy performance. And a variegated façade design, composed of terracotta and vertical windows, brings more natural light into the building.
A key factor in this project was the early and ongoing collaboration between the Building Team’s architects Perkins + Will (the original designer of Upson Hall in the 1950s) and Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis; with the engineers Thornton Tomasetti and ME Engineers; and Cornell University Sustainable Design.
P+W and LTL went so far as to embed staff members in each other’s offices during the project. And the collaboration with the engineers was critical because some of the client’s ideas for this building were at cross-purposes. “How do we design a façade that would maximize daylight and thermal capacity at the same time?” said David J. Lewis, a Principal with LTL Architects. The Building Team needed to reconcile aesthetic, energy, and daylight objectives, which included balancing the building’s wall-to-window ratio.
The collaboration “started with everyone being at the table, and with each team member’s commitment” to the process, says Robert Goodwin, architectural design director at P+W’s New York office.
Goodwin and Lewis are Cornell grads.
There was some consideration given to tearing down the building and constructing new. But that was quickly scotched, says Goodwin, because Upson Hall is located between three other buildings on the quad, and is attached to an atrium. The client and Building Team decided, instead, to completely gut the existing building and replace the façade strategically.
The new façade is cantilevered in a way that creates space for social interaction at the corner of the building, says Lewis.
Goodwin says Cornell was a collaborative partner on this project, and its aspirations for sustainability “were very high.” (At one point there was some discussion about reconstructing Upson Hall to Passive House standards.)
The building was designed with four new conference rooms, three social lounges, and public corridors for collaborative learning and research. Image: Michael Moran Photography
The building, which is currently LEED Gold-certified, pending Platinum certification, serves as a “living sustainability lab,” enabling mechanical and aerospace engineering students to work, learn and study in a high-performance, technologically advanced facility.
Upson Hall’s new design specifications will be applied to the other six Cornell buildings located within the engineering Quadrangle over the coming years.
LTL and P+W were so pleased with the interdisciplinary approach the Building Team took that the firms have talked about working together on future products. The revelation for Goodwin was that it’s possible to collaborate of projects in a different way that integrates practices. “This was my first time as a design director that I didn’t wear a design hat. It was very efficient.”
Related Stories
University Buildings | Feb 8, 2023
STEM-focused Kettering University opens Stantec-designed Learning Commons
In Flint, Mich., Kettering University opened its new $63 million Learning Commons, designed by Stantec. The new facility will support collaboration, ideation, and digital technology for the STEM-focused higher learning institution.
University Buildings | Feb 7, 2023
Kansas City University's Center for Medical Education Innovation can adapt to changes in medical curriculum
The Center for Medical Education Innovation (CMEI) at Kansas City University was designed to adapt to changes in medical curriculum and pedagogy. The project program supported the mission of training leaders in osteopathic medicine with a state-of-the-art facility that leverages active-learning and simulation-based training.
Giants 400 | Feb 6, 2023
2022 Reconstruction Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. building reconstruction and renovation sector
Gensler, Stantec, IPS, Alfa Tech, STO Building Group, and Turner Construction top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest reconstruction sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Steel Buildings | Feb 3, 2023
Top 10 structural steel building projects for 2023
A Mies van der Rohe-designed art and architecture school at Indiana University and Morphosis Architects' Orange County Museum of Art in Costa Mesa, Calif., are among 10 projects to win IDEAS² Awards from the American Institute of Steel Construction.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 1, 2023
University of Houston opens 'game changer' wellness center at downtown campus
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) recently opened its new Wellness & Success Center (WSC). The $39 million, 75,000 sf facility greatly improves the quality of the school’s exercise programs and areas dedicated to them. It also establishes a dynamic core and recognizable landmark for fostering and nurturing an on-campus community, according to a news release from SmithGroup, which designed the building along with HarrisonKornberg Architects.
University Buildings | Jan 30, 2023
How wellness is reshaping college recreation centers
Moody Nolan, a specialist in the design of college recreation centers, has participated in the evolution toward wellness on college campuses.
University Buildings | Jan 27, 2023
Ozarks Technical Community College's advanced manufacturing center is first-of-a-kind in region
The new Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing at Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield, Mo., is a first-of-a-kind educational asset in the region. The 125,000-sf facility will educate and train a new generation in high tech, clean manufacturing and fabrication.
Student Housing | Jan 26, 2023
6 ways 'choice architecture' enhances student well-being in residence halls
The environments we build and inhabit shape our lives and the choices we make. NAC Architecture's Lauren Scranton shares six strategies for enhancing well-being in residence halls.
University Buildings | Jan 17, 2023
Texas Christian University breaks ground on medical school for Dallas-Fort Worth region
Texas Christian University (TCU) has broken ground on the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine, which aims to help meet the expanding medical needs of the growing Dallas-Fort Worth region.
ProConnect Events | Jan 16, 2023
6 more BD+C ProConnect Events in 2023 – The videos show why you should participate
ProConnects bring building product manufacturers and suppliers together with architects, contractors, builders, and developers to discuss upcoming projects and learn about new products and technical solutions.