Summer is officially over. School is back in session. Time to buy your pens and notebooks, and rush off to class. Whether your kids are returning to the classroom or you are, here are some incredible buildings that are teaching the next generation of designers and architects. These architecture schools are highlighting their design prowess with their very own building!
New School of Architecture, KTH Royal Institute of Technology - Tham & Videgård Arkitekter, 2015, Stockholm Sweden
This striking building shows the creative solutions that curves can provide. The triangular courtyard site for this school of architecture was challenging. The building had to compliment the existing campus buildings, resolve the odd courtyard shape, and provide circulation to students passing through. The building’s corten steel cladding and repeated windows respond nicely to the surrounding buildings, while the curving footprint of the building guide students through the space. The curved circulation paths are integrated into the building's interior as well. The wood interior provide a warm and pleasant work environment for promising young architect students.
School of Design, University of Melbourne - John Wardle Architects & NADAAA, 2014, Melbourne, Australia
This school is not afraid to explore form. Many items push and pull out of the main mass. The largest and most striking is this wood cladded, angular form that emerges from the ceiling in the central space. Texture and form are highly integrated to create unique and specialized spaces for the school. Showcase areas, study tables, lobby seating are all designed to fit in naturally with the spaces. The facades are dynamic with irregular and non repeating windows and louvers. University of Melbourne’s School of Design is a collection of bold statements and we can only hope the students soak it up.
McEwen School of Architecture, Laurentian University - LGA Architectural Partners, 2018, Sudbury, Canada
For some reason, I think of this next school as a modern day Bauhaus. It is a standing model for everything the school wishes to instill into their students. The McEwen School of Architecture was design to focus on climate issues and local cultures. It is a visually an important building within downtown Sudbury but also the community. The ground floor is a public architecture resource for the town. The interior is industrial with exposed steel structure, concrete, and wood. Certain areas were designed with cross-laminated timber, CLT, provided a warmer feel for students studying. The school strives for students to take an active part of their education. This school is pushing out thoughtful architectural thinkers and we will have to wait and see their future innovations and initiatives.
Welcome back to school everyone. The MEL/ARCH team hopes you have a great semester!