East Addition

Designed by W.G. Clark, the east addition--a tall, thin mini-tower, will serve as the new face of the School: From the east, the School will have a presence on Rugby Road. The visitor will look into a striking space combining reception, review, and exhibition areas. An elevator and stair tie the building together vertically.

The rooms of the East Tower will enable multiple permutations of space and gathering. Some pin-up wall panels fold down to become seminar tables, transforming the room into a dual purpose space. This new configuration will allow students in all four departments to use review rooms throughout the day and evening. The building’s interior north wall will feature panels designed to pivot, enabling a class to pin up work on both sides. These new spaces will transform the way we think of studio gatherings.

Until now, our second floor review rooms are opaque boxes. Just as students need to see outside, they need to see inside. The building’s uniquely narrow, long shape maximizes wall space, so much so that the east and west ends can be made transparent. The south wall, clad in brick and concrete, faces the similarly dressed Carr’s Hill and the Academical Village. The north wall faces the Arts Grounds, in the same spirit, with a more animated façade of concrete, glass, and metal. Students working in the upper level will be able to gaze east across Mad Bowl or north to contemplate the Arts Grounds—long, inspiring views in every direction.