Patterson Hall faces the library across the green space of the central campus commons. It could hardly have a more prominent location. It sits adjacent to a Student Union Building which adds to the vibrant action in the commons. The existing building had an introverted feel, almost like that of a medieval castle, and fell far short of the requirements of an engaging learning environment. NAC’s predesign effort determined the need to add 24,000 SF of additional program space to the original 103,000 SF building. The Predesign called for the reconfiguration and renovation of all interior classroom spaces and the creation of badly needed office space. In all, the Predesign identified the need for 165 new offices. These requirements provided a unique opportunity to turn a what amounted to an unfriendly fortress into an inviting and welcoming facility at the very heart of the campus. The architecture responded to the opportunities of its context. Campus walkways suggested very different roles for the corners as opposed to the front of the building. The reconfigured building opens itself at the corners to engage key campus circulation pathways while at the same time providing informal student study spaces in newly created student study areas. The formerly introverted fortress becomes alive through the logical movement of pedestrians, new light-filled interactive student study spaces, and newly available views from higher floors, thus vastly improving the experiential quality of the building. The architecture of the central mass of the building creates an understated but refined rhythm on the façade, appropriate for the building’s prime location. At the same time it responds to the rhythm created by the vertical columns on the library across the central campus commons. The new façade engages in an interesting architectural dialogue with the monolithic student union across the commons and, without being overbearing at this already very commanding location. Boris served as a co-designer on the project and was instrumental in setting the conceptual framework and the architectural expression for the new building.The total restoration of major building systems will address deferred maintenance issues, a comprehensive review of current building code, and ADA upgrades. The building systems that are deficient within the facility are: building exteriors; seismic superstructure; elevators (age and accessibility issues); mechanical/electrical infrastructure into the building envelope; heating ventilation equipment, distribution systems and temperature controls; plumbing systems; fire protection, detection and reporting systems; built-in equipment and specialties; interior finishes; and access and security systems. LEED Gold certification will be the minimum program sustainability requirement for building design and construction.
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