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VM DO Care e r + Tec hn ic a l Edu c a t ion
Interconnected Volumes The building is composed of three interconnected volumes: the pavilion, the portal, and the academic / advising wing. The pavilion houses a large multipurpose event space, café, student lounge spaces, student organization offices, and quiet study spaces. Given the public nature of the pavilion, emphasis has been placed on transparency between the various spaces and between interior spaces and the campus and landscape beyond. The exterior of the pavilion is a collage of both solid and visually transparent assemblies that react to views, solar orientation, and adjacent landscape spaces that support the various programs within. The portal serves as the primary vertical circulation space for the building and campus, and provides clear visual wayfinding landmarks to aid navigation to the various parts of the building. A two-story cylindrical tower acts as a focal point within the space and houses a number of front-line support specialists that will guide new and enrolled students to their destinations – both within the building and beyond. The east and west walls of the portal are designed to be nearly-transparent exterior planes of curtain-wall to promote visibility through the building.
