The new School of Education and Psychology Building is a three-story, approximately 48,000 square foot facility designed to accommodate not only the current activities and goals of the School of Education but to anticipate its future needs as well. The proposed School of Education and Psychology building is to serve both as an independent facility for the School and as a center for education and outreach to the greater campus and community. It will also be a model for energy and water conservation.
Architecturally, the building is conceived as a simple rectangular volume from which exterior and enclosed public spaces are “carved”. Within this volume are located an office wing to the west, a classroom and lab wing to the east, and a utility/building support core to the south. The voids between and below these spaces form an entry plaza to the north, an entry porch to the east, and a colonnade to the west, each of which addresses one or more of the multiple approaches and axes to the site.
Although LEED Certification is not being pursued, the following sustainable features are incorporated in the design:
Geo-thermal, enthalpy wheel, sun shades, high performance glass, on-site water retention, recycled glass mulch, and oyster shell mulch.