|
Isenberg School of Management
by BIG & Goody Clancy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Image by Laurian Ghinitoiu |
Designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and Architect
of Record Goody Clancy, the copper-clad Business Innovation Hub
at the heart of the University of Massachusetts Amherst adds
70,000SF of hyper-collaborative study and social space to one of
the top-30 public business schools in the United States.
The new expansion and partial renovation of the Isenberg School
of Management nearly doubles the school’s current space to
accommodate Isenberg’s growth in the last decade, while
introducing new facilities for more than 150 staff and 5,000
students in undergraduate, master’s and PhD programs. BIG and
Goody Clancy were commissioned in 2015 to design a flexible
space that inspires and facilitates collaboration for every
Isenberg student.
|
|
Image by Laurian Ghinitoiu |
|
“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. 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.”
Tom Moliterno,
Interim Dean, Isenberg School of Management.
Prominently situated on Haigis Mall near the entrance to the
campus, a dramatic triangular glass entrance created by a
domino-effect greets students. The building exterior is wrapped
in straight, vertical pillars that gradually slope downward,
creating a distinct appearance without any curved elements.
|
|
|
|
|
Image
by Max Touhey |
The Business Innovation Hub directly extends the school’s
existing 1964 building from the north and east sides in a wide
circular loop, linking back on the upper floors to maintain
connectivity. The loop consolidates Isenberg’s faculty and staff
under one roof, creating a singular place of arrival and a
strong visual identity for the entire Isenberg School of
Management.
“The new Business Innovation Hub at the Isenberg School of
Management is conceived as an extension of both the building and
the campus mall. The linear structure is bent to form a full
loop framing an internal courtyard for the life of the students.
The façade is pulled away in a domino effect to create a
generous invitation from the Haigis Mall to the Learning Commons.
The mall and the courtyard – inside and outside form a forum for
the students, the faculty and the profession to meet, mingle and
mix society and academia.”
Bjarke Ingels,
Founder & Creative Director, BIG.
The Business Innovation Hub’s exterior is clad in copper, so
long-term exposure to the elements will naturally weather the
metal from a dark ochre to an enduring patina. With longevity
and sustainability in mind, the building also targets LEED
Silver certification.
“There’s no other building at UMass Amherst that’s going to look
remotely like this. Isenberg is trying to raise its profile
among peer institutions. We have no doubt this will help
Isenberg attract the best and brightest faculty and students.”
Roger Goldstein,
Principal, Goody Clancy.
|
|
Image by Laurian Ghinitoiu |
|
Upon entering, students and faculty arrive at the 5,000SF
Learning Commons. Daylight peers between the accordion-like
pillars to illuminate the multi-story atrium, where the heart of
the business school hums with students learning, networking and
dining.
The bright and spacious Learning Commons doubles as an event
venue for guest speakers, award ceremonies, banquets and career
fairs. In any room or hallway, natural light reaches inside from
both the campus and the inner courtyard.
|
|
|
|
|
Image
by Max Touhey |
Throughout the Business Innovation Hub, spaces are designed with
student interactions, teamwork and chance encounters in mind:
soft chairs adorn the corridors, benches are affixed to the
grand stairway and classroom chairs can easily maneuver for
theater-style lectures or small group work.
On the second and third floors, students and staff occupy the
innovation labs, advising spaces and faculty offices. To support
the career development of every Isenberg student, classrooms are
equipped with integrated technology for distance learning. In
addition, the Chase Career Center gains 15 new interview rooms,
and various conference rooms and breakout areas are distributed
throughout the loop.
|
|
Image
by Max Touhey |
|
The inner spaces of the extension face a circular courtyard,
where an open-air garden and stone benches create an oasis for
collaboration and contemplation. The courtyard connects back to
the campus via two pathways between the original Isenberg
building and the Business Innovation Hub. The buildings are
fused by two bridges above the paths: the large bridge cloaked
in copper becomes the gateway to the courtyard while the small
bridge glazed with glass forms a visual continuity around the
interior courtyard.
In the evening, the Business Innovation Hub glows from the life
within—appearing as an inviting beacon on the campus and
creating a lasting impression for campus visitors, staff and
students.
Facts
NAME: Isenberg School of Management Business Innovation Hub
SIZE: 70,000ft2 / 6,500m2
LOCATION: Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
CLIENT: University of Massachusetts Building Authority
DESIGN ARCHITECT: BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group
ARCHITECT OF RECORD: Goody Clancy
COLLABORATORS: Richmond So Engineers, Arup, BIG IDEAS, Nitsch,
VAV, Towers Golde, Haley & Aldrich, Acentech, HLB, SGH, PEER,
WIL-SPEC, VGA, Lerch Bates, LN Consulting, Mohar Designs
Release: BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group
|