BuildLab
Fall 2023
Carnegie Mellon University
Professor Gerard Damiani
In collaboration with Vanshika Bhaiya, Grace Kolosek, Yue Xu
Identifying Carnegie Mellon Architecture’s emphasis on the pedagogy of learning through fabrication, BuildLab aims to vertically integrate design fields through a space that serves as an addition to the Schools of Architecture and Design within the larger context of the university. Grounding theoretical frameworks through the practice of making, our project revives the legacy of hands-on learning inherent in Carnegie Mellon interdisciplinary practice.
An analysis of the history of the campus as well as a reflection at the way we use the campus today, has allowed us to identify Margaret Morrison, particularly the first floor corridor, as a bridge between two parts of campus. This relates back to the initial construction of the site where the building was indeed use as a connector across the ravine. Thus, the positioning of the build lab is a symbolic interpretation of this strong axis of circulation on campus and replicates the idea through program, sequence, structure, as well as systems. The new building comprises three wings - the Public wing, Fabrication hub, and Circulation bar between the two - all connected by a continuous walkway that runs from the Campus Street to the Rotunda entrance of Margaret Morrison across the ravine.
The program consists of two wings; the Public Wing and the Fabrication Hub. Responding to the lack of communal spaces for the School of Architecture, a new dedicated library for the School of Architecture, including private and group study rooms, is proposed to provide student study space. A gallery space to showcase student and faculty work + double as a crit space, providing opportunities for public engagement with the school and an attached student lounge and cafe as an informal gathering spot on campus, taking advantage of the public engagement generated by the gallery.
The Fabrication Hub would provide a large, flexible volume housing equipment for digital fabrication, model-making, and other hands-on architecture work. This would allow for classrooms, production studios, and project workspaces suited to architecture curriculum needs. Smaller rooms alongside the main space could house specialized equipment and contain messier fabrication processes. Vertical connection of the different shop spaces would be enabled through a tall atrium, giving visibility to activities happening on different levels. A gantry crane system is incorporated to facilitate larger scale fabrications. The Fabrication Hub would alleviate existing space constraints that now severely limit the ability to fabricate projects, especially larger builds. It would also support cross-disciplinary design work and allow experimentation with new methods of design and physical fabrication.
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