FSU College of Education

This project consists of a 26,000 gsf addition and a 25,900 gsf remodeling to, and inside, the existing 1970’s host building. The site dictated a limited building footprint due to its proximity to the University’s West Entrance and several large oak trees, which were deemed worthy of preserving. The existing building was in need of establishing a legitimate “front door.” Towards this end, the new addition creates two figural “bookends,” both at key entrance points, and at opposite ends of an orthogonal “bar”. With the remodeling of the ground floor and the addition of new classrooms, the facility now has the majority of classroom spaces centrally located adjacent to the new Atrium and accessed from the north entrance. An open, north-facing loggia connects the existing building to the new addition and allows a “loop circulation” path. This avoids the psychological pitfalls associated with backtracking through dead end corridor systems.

The subtle design addresses the Collegiate Gothic style required by campus standards. Brick is carefully blended to match existing brick, and concrete and precast copings have been designed to compliment the existing building treatment. An appropriate and comprehensible response to the project brief was desired both in the functional disposition of spaces and in the overall design sensibility.

Community interaction spaces were designed around the stairways in the Atrium. An IT Suite, with reception/student studio workspace, classrooms and study spaces was remodeled to meet the University’s Technology Standards. Green space and terraced areas, separating the new and existing buildings, bring light into the corridors of the new building addition while allowing minimum impact to the existing structural systems. Low terrace walls, adjacent to the north entrance, help graft the building to the site and provide amphitheatre-style seating for student gathering events. The building project achieved a LEED Silver Certification.