The architects' charge in the restoration and adaptive reuse of the Hinman Research Building was twofold: Preserve the pedagogical ideals of the original 1930s building (and its architect, Paul M. Heffernan), and transform the building into a flexible and functional home for the College of Architecture.
To preserve the flexibility of the high-bay studio space, the architects suspended most of the new elements from the ceiling, including custom light fixtures, a mezzanine beidge called the crib, and a steel-cable tensile-mesh guardrail that envelopes a spiral stair allowing access to an adjacent second-floor gallery.
View from the spiral stair.
Studio set up with group work areas.
View from the crib.
Studio space set up as gallery.
Studio set up for events.
Fixed student lockers.
An enclosed hallway at one end of the high-bay studio space connects flanking bands of two-story spaces, which are now used as classrooms, offices, and galleries.
