26 ISENBERG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT BUSINESS INNOVATION HUB, AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
red-brick building – which still stands today. This was later extended on its southern elevation in 2003, and the new addition effectively follows in its footsteps, adding to the building’s northern elevation. Commissioned in 2015, the Business Innovation Hub directly extends this existing building from the north and east sides in a wide circular loop, linking back on the upper floors to maintain connectivity. In the first instance, BIG and Goody Clancy were given the aim of designing a flexible space that inspired collaboration for all students at Isenberg. Tom Moliterno, interim dean at the school, explores this further: “As a top business school, we want to offer our students, faculty and staff an environment that inspires creativity, communication, innovation, and collaboration—a physical space designed to train and prepare students for careers in the 21st century. The new Business Innovation Hub clearly reflects our mission and vision for the future.” He adds: “Equally important, with flexible spaces and state-of-the-art tools and technologies, the Business Innovation Hub will continue to meet the rapidly evolving needs of the Isenberg community.”
Approaching the building Now completed, the shifting, domino-effect of the new facility’s facade can be seen from across the university campus – displaying a somewhat complex structure. Rectangular pillars are progressively angled downwards as if tumbling onto one another, eventually culminating in a triangular entranceway with the final pillar forming one side of this triangle. This unique exterior is made more expressive through copper cladding – which is laid out in a brick-like fashion – with the intention of the long-term exposure to the elements naturally weathering the metal from a dark ochre to an enduring patina. The copper elements wrap around the sloping facade in such a way that they appear to curve around the building – though in reality they run straight. Each of these copper modules are 2 ft
wide, with the glass curtain being 3.5 ft wide. The copper panels are clipped to aluminium rails, fastened to a sheathing clad cold-formed framing structure produced by Ace Panel Worx.
When approaching this strikingly formed facility in the evening, the building “glows from the life within,” appearing as an inviting beacon on the campus. Running
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