BRB Architects has completed the 57,000 sf campus center and associated main quadrangle at Molloy College. Intended to be the centerpiece of the College’s transformation from a commuter college to a 24-hour learning community, the “Public Square” will support student life with spaces such as a café, lounges, study rooms, student club space, a bookstore and an art gallery. In addition, the center houses a 550-seat theater, as well as rehearsal and office spaces for the music department.
The 57,000 “Public Square” creates and frames a central campus quadrangle. A café, lounge and study space are located on the east side of the building, overlooking the quadrangle through the largely glazed east face of the building. The indoor spaces are an extension of the quadrangle, together creating a vibrant center for student life at Molloy.
The building is organized as a series of three layers separated by open-ended circulation spines, which allow visual connection to the Molloy Campus. The masonry-clad westernmost layer houses support spaces and enclosed offices. The loft-like central layer of the building with its exposed steel structure is designed for maximum flexibility, allowing multiple uses on a daily basis as well as being engineered for future reconfiguration as the needs of the campus community evolve. This zone contains larger spaces such as the multi-purpose space, the art gallery, student club workrooms, and the information commons, a flexible, technologically enabled space. This open zone is punctuated by a large sky lit atrium, connecting spaces vertically and creating a vibrant bustle throughout the building. The glass and zinc clad easternmost layer of the building acts as a veranda, visually connecting lounge and study spaces to the outdoor quadrangle. Here in the most permeable layer of the “Public Square” we see the interaction of indoor and outdoor activities that support the thriving learning community at Molloy College.
A 550-seat theater forms the southernmost mass of the building, and is articulated as a discrete pavilion. The slight rotation of the theater volume begins to gently enclose the main quadrangle while creating a pedestrian gateway from the western parking area, through the lobby, to the campus quadrangle.
Through the use of sand cast red brick, oak doors, and a warm natural color palette, the building maintains a strong connection to the existing campus fabric. The permeable flowing spaces, combined with the robust authenticity of polished concrete and exposed steel structure, however, reflect the sense that the “Public Square” serves a special function at Molloy College; that of connecting people to each other and to the world beyond.
Sustainable design objectives include: minimizing storm water run-off and heat absorption in parking areas and on roofs; ensuring good air quality; maximizing daylight and views; reducing water and energy usage; constructing with regionally obtained materials and using low-emitting paints, carpeting and composite wood products; and providing for day-to-day healthy operation and maintenance. LEED certification for the project is pending. BD+C
Related Stories
Architects | Apr 6, 2023
Design for belonging: An introduction to inclusive design
The foundation of modern, formalized inclusive design can be traced back to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The movement has developed beyond the simple rules outlined by ADA regulations resulting in features like mothers’ rooms, prayer rooms, and inclusive restrooms.
Market Data | Apr 6, 2023
JLL’s 2023 Construction Outlook foresees growth tempered by cost increases
The easing of supply chain snags for some product categories, and the dispensing with global COVID measures, have returned the North American construction sector to a sense of normal. However, that return is proving to be complicated, with the construction industry remaining exceptionally busy at a time when labor and materials cost inflation continues to put pricing pressure on projects, leading to caution in anticipation of a possible downturn. That’s the prognosis of JLL’s just-released 2023 U.S. and Canada Construction Outlook.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Apr 5, 2023
Façade innovation: University of Stuttgart tests a ‘saturated building skin’ for lessening heat islands
HydroSKIN is a façade made with textiles that stores rainwater and uses it later to cool hot building exteriors. The façade innovation consists of an external, multilayered 3D textile that acts as a water collector and evaporator.
Market Data | Apr 4, 2023
Nonresidential construction spending up 0.4% in February 2023
National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.4% in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $982.2 billion for the month, up 16.8% from the previous year.
Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023
ASHRAE releases Building Performance Standards Guide
Building Performance Standards (BPS): A Technical Resource Guide was created to provide a technical basis for policymakers, building owners, practitioners and other stakeholders interested in developing and implementing a BPS policy. The publication is the first in a series of seven guidebooks by ASHRAE on building decarbonization.
Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023
NIBS report: Decarbonizing the U.S. building sector will require massive, coordinated effort
Decarbonizing the building sector will require a massive, strategic, and coordinated effort by the public and private sectors, according to a report by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).
Education Facilities | Apr 3, 2023
Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center opens academic center for affordable education and training
Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center, which provides career-specific training to adults and high school students, has completed its Francis Tuttle Danforth Campus—a two-story, 155,000-sf academic building. The project aims to fill the growing community’s rising demand for affordable education and training.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 30, 2023
New University of St. Thomas sports arena will support school's move to Division I athletics
The University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minn., last year became the first Division III institution in the modern NCAA to transition directly to Division I. Plans for a new multipurpose sports arena on campus will support that move.
Warehouses | Mar 29, 2023
Construction completed on Canada’s first multi-story distribution center
Construction was recently completed on Canada’s first major multi-story industrial project, a distribution center in Burnaby, British Columbia. The project provides infrastructure for last-mile delivery in a world where consumers have come to expect next-day and same-day delivery, according to Ware Malcomb, the project's architect of record.
AEC Innovators | Mar 27, 2023
Leading architecture, engineering firm HED appoints new co-CEOs
As children of immigrant families, Van Herle and Suarez will bring a diverse perspective into a historically underrepresented industry and advance the firm’s mission of creating a positive impact for clients, communities, and the world.
