- Year: 2009
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Photographs:Yona Schley
Text description provided by the architects. The Carnegie Mellon Business and Computer Science College is located in one of the main pedestrian areas - the "Green Spine" - of the master plan. This situation demanded a design for the "Green Spine" to traverse construction.
The project was developed as rectangular building along the north side and as a semi-circle on the south side creating, at the center, an atrium connected to the "Green Spine". Both sides of the building are interconnected by bridges that go over the "Green Spine", while the lower floor is open for pedestrian traffic.
The rectangular as well as the circular part of the building were designed as a series of volumes that house classrooms, laboratories and lecture halls, each separated by courtyards. This succession of open and closed spaces create an environment where teachers and students can interact.
The offices are located along the main circulations, except for the administration area, which is around a private courtyard.
Special areas like dining, library and waiting room are directly related to the central atrium. This space as the "Green Spine" and the courtyards are covered at the roof level by a pergola. Instead of blocking all sunlight, these shade elements give a different configuration according to the time of day.