{"id":3724,"date":"2017-03-20T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-03-20T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/architizer.wpengine.com\/what-its-like-to-study-medicine-in-a-diller-scofidio-renfro-building\/"},"modified":"2022-05-31T07:22:34","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T11:22:34","slug":"what-its-like-to-study-medicine-in-a-diller-scofidio-renfro-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/what-its-like-to-study-medicine-in-a-diller-scofidio-renfro-building\/","title":{"rendered":"What It\u2019s Like to Study Medicine in a Diller Scofidio + Renfro Building"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Architects are used to seeing high-profile buildings in a privileged light, often through a flash of coverage upon opening that treats their design as an end unto itself. Far less often we see such buildings from the perspective of people who use them every day. <\/p>\n<p>To correct this, we conducted interviews with the inhabitants of a noteworthy building to better understand how they interact with, perceive or react to certain design features on a daily basis. The purpose of this is to communicate the effect specific design decisions have on the people who use a building, beyond the project review or photo shoot, in hopes that such an awareness can help architects design better buildings.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\n\t<img class=\"lazy\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/themes\/architizer\/assets\/images\/blank.png\"\n\t\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345751860via_fieldcondition_4.jpg?fit=max&#038;w=1680&#038;q=60&#038;auto=format&#038;auto=compress&#038;cs=strip\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-srcset=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345751860via_fieldcondition_4.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1680&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1680w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345751860via_fieldcondition_4.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1080&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1080w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345751860via_fieldcondition_4.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=760&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 760w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345751860via_fieldcondition_4.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=625&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 625w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345751860via_fieldcondition_4.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=368&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 368w\"\n\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 1680px) 1680px,(min-width: 1080px) 1080px,(min-width: 760px) 760px,(min-width: 625px) 625px,368px\"\n\t\t\t\talt=\"\"\n\t\titemprop=\"contentUrl\"\n\t>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><i>Via <a href=\"http:\/\/fieldcondition.com\/blog\/2016\/9\/16\/cumc-medical-and-graduate-education-building\" target=\"_blank\" helvetica=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">Field Condition<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p>The Vagelos Education Center is a medical school designed by <a href=\"http:\/\/architizer.com\/firms\/diller-scofidio-renfro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Diller Scofidio + Renfro<\/a> for Columbia University in New York City (<a href=\"http:\/\/architizer.com\/firms\/gensler\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gensler<\/a> was executive architect). This building is new enough to steal the spotlight, as it has won several recent awards, but it has also been open long enough to shape the impressions and routines of its user base.<\/p>\n<p>According to interviews, the strongest forces shaping the experience of this building are a consistent presence of natural light, expansive views to the outdoors and an apparent desire for sociopetal and health-promoting spaces. Least noticeable, though specifically highlighted in the building\u2019s design narrative, was the composition of certain boilerplate elements in the program layout. In this case, aspects of building design that often take the most time for an architect to work out seem to have the weakest effect on the Vagelos Center\u2019s inhabitants, while relatively simple decisions have the greatest impact.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\n\t<img class=\"lazy\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/themes\/architizer\/assets\/images\/blank.png\"\n\t\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749501via_arcspace.jpg?fit=max&#038;w=1680&#038;q=60&#038;auto=format&#038;auto=compress&#038;cs=strip\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-srcset=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749501via_arcspace.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1680&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1680w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749501via_arcspace.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1080&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1080w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749501via_arcspace.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=760&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 760w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749501via_arcspace.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=625&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 625w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749501via_arcspace.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=368&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 368w\"\n\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 1680px) 1680px,(min-width: 1080px) 1080px,(min-width: 760px) 760px,(min-width: 625px) 625px,368px\"\n\t\t\t\talt=\"\"\n\t\titemprop=\"contentUrl\"\n\t>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><i>Via <a href=\"http:\/\/www.arcspace.com\/features\/diller-scofidio--renfro\/the-vagelos-education-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" helvetica=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">arcspace<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p>The building\u2019s most noticeable element, a 14-story vertical arrangement of open stairs and seating spaces on the south side, dubbed the \u201cstudy cascade,\u201d is wrapped with floor-to-ceiling glass on nearly every surface. This speaks to an obvious \u2014 though for this reason, frequently undervalued \u2014 design move that seems to have the most significance for this building\u2019s users: the amount and quality of daylight admitted to the interior.<\/p>\n<p>The importance of this space\u2019s transparency is noted by first-year medical student Taiwo Alonge: \u201cYou will often spot me doing the bulk of studying and relaxing between classes on the 14th floor. Having spent my whole life in Florida, moving up north, I have definitely realized how much I appreciate sunlight. The study cascade provides great lighting even on cold and cloudy days.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\n\t<img class=\"lazy\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/themes\/architizer\/assets\/images\/blank.png\"\n\t\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345748997via_arc20.jpg?fit=max&#038;w=1680&#038;q=60&#038;auto=format&#038;auto=compress&#038;cs=strip\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-srcset=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345748997via_arc20.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1680&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1680w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345748997via_arc20.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1080&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1080w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345748997via_arc20.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=760&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 760w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345748997via_arc20.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=625&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 625w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345748997via_arc20.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=368&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 368w\"\n\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 1680px) 1680px,(min-width: 1080px) 1080px,(min-width: 760px) 760px,(min-width: 625px) 625px,368px\"\n\t\t\t\talt=\"\"\n\t\titemprop=\"contentUrl\"\n\t>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><i>Via <a href=\"http:\/\/www.arch2o.com\/roy-diana-vagelos-education-center-diller-scofidio-renfro\/arch2o-roy-and-diana-vagelos-education-center-diller-scofidio-renfro-10\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">arch2o<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p>Lab spaces also have large expanses of windows; a departure from the typical design of these rooms in educational buildings. Mary Raddawi, another first-year medical student, mentioned the improvement in her performance due to this: \u201cI think the natural light reduces stress for me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>There are, of course, trade-offs. Dr. Paulette Bernd, who directs the school\u2019s anatomy program and counts the lab as her favorite space in the building, notes that \u201cthe sun can be problematic in the classrooms, especially at sundown. In this situation, the shades can be pulled down.\u201d Though often viewed as an aesthetic blemish in design circles, it seems the application of shades here is a small price to pay for gaining the psychological benefit offered by natural light throughout the day.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\n\t<img class=\"lazy\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/themes\/architizer\/assets\/images\/blank.png\"\n\t\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345750535via_curbed_2.jpg?fit=max&#038;w=1680&#038;q=60&#038;auto=format&#038;auto=compress&#038;cs=strip\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-srcset=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345750535via_curbed_2.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1680&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1680w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345750535via_curbed_2.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1080&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1080w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345750535via_curbed_2.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=760&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 760w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345750535via_curbed_2.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=625&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 625w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345750535via_curbed_2.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=368&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 368w\"\n\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 1680px) 1680px,(min-width: 1080px) 1080px,(min-width: 760px) 760px,(min-width: 625px) 625px,368px\"\n\t\t\t\talt=\"\"\n\t\titemprop=\"contentUrl\"\n\t>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><i>Via <a href=\"http:\/\/www.curbed.com\/2016\/9\/14\/12906822\/diller-scofidio-renfro-building-review-columbia-berkeley\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Curbed<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p>Outside the lab, the positioning of the study cascade highlights the most-discussed aspect of this building: its views of the city. Dr. Bernd referred to them as \u201cspectacular,\u201d while Raddawi stated that \u201cthere have been numerous times where I will be on the 14th floor, stop studying for a moment and just stand at the window.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She noted how the views give her a sense of connection with the city, explaining: \u201cEspecially in medical school, it can be easy to become unaware of your surroundings, particularly before an exam. This building really makes me aware of my surroundings and provides me with daily opportunities to remember that I am in school in such a beautiful metropolis.\u201d This reveals the massive importance of both building orientation and site planning \u2014 decisions typically made early in a building\u2019s design process and rarely changed later due to time and budget constraints.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\n\t<img class=\"lazy\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/themes\/architizer\/assets\/images\/blank.png\"\n\t\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489535073226via_area_arch.jpg?fit=max&#038;w=1680&#038;q=60&#038;auto=format&#038;auto=compress&#038;cs=strip\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-srcset=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489535073226via_area_arch.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1680&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1680w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489535073226via_area_arch.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1080&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1080w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489535073226via_area_arch.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=760&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 760w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489535073226via_area_arch.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=625&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 625w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489535073226via_area_arch.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=368&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 368w\"\n\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 1680px) 1680px,(min-width: 1080px) 1080px,(min-width: 760px) 760px,(min-width: 625px) 625px,368px\"\n\t\t\t\talt=\"\"\n\t\titemprop=\"contentUrl\"\n\t>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><i helvetica=\"\" neue\",=\"\" helvetica,=\"\" arial,=\"\" sans-serif;=\"\" font-size:=\"\" 16px;=\"\" font-weight:=\"\" 400;\"=\"\">Via <\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.area-arch.it\/en\/the-roy-and-diana-vagelos-education-center\/\" helvetica=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>area<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The study cascade embraces a growing trend to design spaces that encourage chance encounters between a building\u2019s users. In this case it combines circulation and study, activities that might otherwise occur in a quiet library or an empty hallway, and distributes them among a variety of comfortable social spaces students necessarily pass through on their ways to class. By all accounts, this strategy is working, as Raddawi recounts: \u201cOne time before a histology exam, I ran into a second-year student as I was climbing up the stairs that are exposed to the study spaces at each floor. We ended up chatting, and he gave me advice about what to study for my exam before I continued on with my day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The effectiveness of the cascade in keeping students engaged with each other was further echoed by Alonge, who mentioned: \u201cWhen I am studying during evening hours, I definitely prefer the open study spaces of the VEC to my room \u2026 with the great spaces in the VEC, it always makes it worth my while to to study there instead.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\n\t<img class=\"lazy\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/themes\/architizer\/assets\/images\/blank.png\"\n\t\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747358via_pinterest.jpg?fit=max&#038;w=1680&#038;q=60&#038;auto=format&#038;auto=compress&#038;cs=strip\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-srcset=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747358via_pinterest.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1680&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1680w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747358via_pinterest.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1080&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1080w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747358via_pinterest.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=760&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 760w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747358via_pinterest.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=625&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 625w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747358via_pinterest.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=368&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 368w\"\n\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 1680px) 1680px,(min-width: 1080px) 1080px,(min-width: 760px) 760px,(min-width: 625px) 625px,368px\"\n\t\t\t\talt=\"\"\n\t\titemprop=\"contentUrl\"\n\t>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><i>Via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/319755642278909710\/\" target=\"_blank\" helvetica=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">Pinterest<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p>The study cascade\u2019s verticality \u2014 a necessity driven by the building\u2019s height on an exceptionally tight site \u2014 lends prominence to its primary stair (<a href=\"http:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/diller-scofidio-renfro-the-suspension-of-disbelief\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a DS+R hallmark<\/a>), suggesting a desire for design that promotes occupant health by encouraging people to eschew the elevator. Raddawi notes that \u201cthe open and direct access to the study spaces makes it actually faster to take the stairs.\u201d That she mentions \u201cIf I am in a hurry, I will skip the elevator for floors past the ninth\u201d is a testament to how impactful this design is on the habits of the building\u2019s users.<\/p>\n<p>Alonge had similar sentiments, stating that \u201cwhenever I have a guest come into town, I always take them up the study cascade. Even though they may initially tense up at the prospect of climbing up 14 flights of stairs, by the time they see the cascade they are completely at ease and enjoy the sights and scenes of the city from the VEC.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\n\t<img class=\"lazy\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/themes\/architizer\/assets\/images\/blank.png\"\n\t\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747353via_New_York_Magazine.jpg?fit=max&#038;w=1680&#038;q=60&#038;auto=format&#038;auto=compress&#038;cs=strip\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-srcset=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747353via_New_York_Magazine.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1680&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1680w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747353via_New_York_Magazine.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1080&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1080w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747353via_New_York_Magazine.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=760&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 760w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747353via_New_York_Magazine.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=625&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 625w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345747353via_New_York_Magazine.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=368&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 368w\"\n\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 1680px) 1680px,(min-width: 1080px) 1080px,(min-width: 760px) 760px,(min-width: 625px) 625px,368px\"\n\t\t\t\talt=\"\"\n\t\titemprop=\"contentUrl\"\n\t>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><i helvetica=\"\" neue\",=\"\" helvetica,=\"\" arial,=\"\" sans-serif;=\"\" font-size:=\"\" 16px;=\"\" font-weight:=\"\" 400;\"=\"\">Via <a href=\"http:\/\/nymag.com\/daily\/intelligencer\/2016\/08\/columbias-med-school-building-first-does-no-harm.html\" target=\"_blank\" helvetica=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">New York Magazine<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p>Of particular interest was confirmation from interviewees that the term \u201cstudy cascade,\u201d despite being coined by the architects, is also actively used by students and faculty. An architectural element\u2019s nickname can <a href=\"http:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/buildings-with-nicknames-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">often reveal more<\/a> about how it is perceived than any formal investigation, which is why it was equally interesting to discover that \u201cacademic neighborhood,\u201d a term put forth by the architects to describe groups of customizable classrooms, was not mentioned by any interviewees.<\/p>\n<p>This is hardly a shortcoming because an architect\u2019s name for an aspect of their design is typically just a tool to help them refine it, though a lack of communicating design intent in this area might be a missed opportunity to reinforce a sense of identity between different areas of study. The fact that an architect will likely spend far more time laying out use-specific spaces from a program list than they will orienting a building on a site or determining vertical circulation seems to suggest an inverse relationship between the intensity of a design decision and how impactful it is on the people who will live with it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\n\t<img class=\"lazy\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/themes\/architizer\/assets\/images\/blank.png\"\n\t\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749059via_archpaper_3.jpg?fit=max&#038;w=1680&#038;q=60&#038;auto=format&#038;auto=compress&#038;cs=strip\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-srcset=\"https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749059via_archpaper_3.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1680&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1680w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749059via_archpaper_3.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=1080&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 1080w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749059via_archpaper_3.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=760&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 760w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749059via_archpaper_3.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=625&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 625w,https:\/\/architizer-prod.imgix.net\/media\/1489345749059via_archpaper_3.jpg?fit=max&amp;w=368&amp;q=60&amp;auto=format&amp;auto=compress&amp;cs=strip 368w\"\n\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 1680px) 1680px,(min-width: 1080px) 1080px,(min-width: 760px) 760px,(min-width: 625px) 625px,368px\"\n\t\t\t\talt=\"\"\n\t\titemprop=\"contentUrl\"\n\t>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><i>Via <a href=\"https:\/\/archpaper.com\/2016\/12\/2016-best-design-award-facade-vagelos-education-center\/#gallery-0-slide-10\" target=\"_blank\" helvetica=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">Architect\u2019s Newspaper<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p>The Vagelos Center presents a worthy example for understanding how people live with high-profile architecture. By digging in to how the design decisions of a celebrated practice are experienced by the people who use them every day, insight can be gained into how similar strategies might function in other situations. To that end, it\u2019s important that architects value what they learn from the people who use their buildings equally as much, or more, than what they learn from one another.<\/p>\n<p><i>Top image via <a href=\"https:\/\/archpaper.com\/2016\/08\/iwan-baan-vagelos-education-center\/#gallery-0-slide-1\" target=\"_blank\" helvetica=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">Architect\u2019s Newspaper<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We conducted interviews with the inhabitants of a noteworthy building to better understand how they interact with, perceive or react to design features on a daily basis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"architizer_featured_type":"projects","architizer_featured_image":"1975613","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5],"tags":[18],"architizer_project":[],"architizer_brand":[],"architizer_firm":[],"architizer_product":[],"class_list":["post-3724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-practice","category-stories","tag-buildings"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - 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