VERTICES
Winter 2021-22 The Building U on the Abercrombie & Fitch corporate headquarters is the new home for the Data Center, Shipping & Receiving, and related functions. Though is it a large building, it was sited in a way to provide a human scale for the employees and visitors as well as conceal the equipment. The southern end of the building is the front façade and main entry to the IT Department housed on the second and third floors. A series of projections and voids animates the elevation. The cedar clad recess reflects the entry destination with a highlighted stair leading one to the main office second floor reception area. 20222022
Abercrombie & Fitch Corporate Headquarters, New Albany Ohio
MJ SAGAN, AIA (B.Arch. ‘82) I was born an Architect. I did not have a choice in deciding my career. There seemed to be only one option. So, after receiving my Bachelor of Architecture degree from Penn State, I went to New York City to learn from those whose work I admired. It was not a straight line to get to where I wanted to go. The line curved, shifted, ran into dead ends. But, with each change in direction, I persevered. I looked for opportunities and went through the door that opened. My work experience started in small designed oriented offices with potential. As each firm grew, I would evolve as well and move onto the next challenge. I was lucky to spend almost twenty years growing with the same company that eventually became an award-winning medium size firm. Priorities change, and I found myself missing the aspects of a small design-oriented studio. MJ Sagan Architecture was next. This was the opportunity to refine my version of an architectural design studio, face a new challenge, and balance my work and personal life.
It was not a straight line to get to where I wanted to go. The line curved, shifted, ran into dead ends. But, with each change in direction, I persevered. I looked for opportunities and went through the door that opened.
The main conference area protuberance anchors the corner. massing of the building is only visible if one wanders beyond pedestrian entry. The Mailroom shares the shipping and receiving adjacent to the exterior equipment hidden from view in northeastern corner of the buildable site.
This project was awarded the NJ AIA Honor Award, Columbus Ohio Merit Award, SARA/NY Bronze Award of Honor and was a Jury Selection for the Penn State Architecture Department Stuckeman Works.
We are small group of architects and designers with a goal to maintain design quality with very personal attention. Regardless of the type, location, or scale, we accept projects that have chemistry with the clients that lead to making magic together. Creatively and responsibly meeting each project’s requirements while continuing to evolve as designers continues to be the goal. 18
The the area the
PennState Architecture Alumni
MJ Sagan MJ Sagan Architecture The PSU Department of A r c h i t e c tu r e p r o f e s s o r s prepared me to complete the requirements for my Bachelor of Architecture Degree to eventually thrive in an architectural office. But it was Professor Lou Inserra who prepared me for my Career. He found a way to finally unlock the mysteries of the design procedure that had eluded me to that point. Conversations that went beyond talking about the scribbles on the yellow trace paper on my desk lead to a place to examine and dissect and decons truct and reconstruct the concept and process for the architecture I was attempting to create. So many lessons learned, so much wisdom shared. History is appreciated and respected, then maybe rejected. Listen to the site. When a conceptual direction leads to a design that feels forced, it doesn’t work. Move on. Accept and acknowledge that you do not know everything and collaborate with the right people. Definition and reason are needed for every single line drawn. You generate the design rules, you can reject them. Hold everything produced to the highest level. Challenge yourself. Be proud of everything you do.
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