Creating a "Living Room" for the Cornish Campus
Cornish College of the Arts was underserved by their current campus and sought to add a multi-use building in a central location where students could live, work, and play. Ankrom Moisan collaborated closely with Capstone Development and Cornish to design a building for a small site that would effectively mirror the college’s artistic mission while providing needed space.
The building’s façade is organized in three basic architectural parts: base, tower, and top. The base of the building consists of contextual brick that compliments neighborhood aesthetics. Within the base, AMA designed a “lantern,” which is a double-high glass corner that looks back at the main campus. The idea behind the tower was to create an iconic symbol for Cornish that conveyed the idealism of artistic craft. This was achieved by using an aluminum panel system that is broken up into two-foot and four-foot panels. These panels have their own distinct color and finish, creating a custom pattern of solids and voids.
The top floor amenity space of the building maximizes the amazing views of South Lake Union and Downtown Seattle with floor-to-ceiling glazing. To highlight this area, AMA introduced a bold color that highlights the roofline and wraps down the 200-foot zero lot line wall to create a dynamic statement.
Though this 20-story tower is predominately residential, the first three floors are open to all students. The first floor is emphasized by large windows, which allow the lounge space to be seen from afar and welcome students inside. This space serves an icon for the campus and gives students the space to collaborate, practice their craft, display their artwork, and just hang out. A striking feature staircase leads up to the second and third floors where four full-size movement theatre studios can be found. Levels 4-19 feature modern dorm-style units and full-kitchen suites, providing unique spaces where hardworking students can decompress.
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