Sunset View of Union Turnpike Facade
St. John's University
D'Angelo Center
The project includes 800 classroom seats for students in tiered and non-tiered configurations, full dining facilities, student government and student organizations, a new two story "Living Room" for the campus, a Board Room, a 5,000 SF multi-purpose space, Greeks, and a Student Service Center. The building creates an internal street which connects nodes on the campus and creates a dynamic environment for student life and study, anchored by a Tower which connects the internal street to campus pathways from almost every entrance to the University. The lowest level includes a new mechanical plant for a significant portion of the campus, which consolidates and replaces older equipment for significant energy savings. Building opened Fall 2010, Michael Patrick delivering opening remarks; construction budget approximately $54M.
The building was consciously designed to capture the spirit of the University's three-part tradition of being Catholic, Vincentian (inspired by St. Vincent dePaul), and Metropolitan, with the "Living Room" reminiscent of Ellis Island as one of the great gathering points for new arrivals to New York and the United States.
In this view, this public face of the building towards Union Turnpike uses an architectural language of "surface and frame" to express the interior organization of the building, its groundedness into the site, and its connection to the architectural tradition of the campus.
The base of the building, becomes an extension of the landscape on the upper level. As a plinth, it forms the physical and functional foundation of the building above.
The lower level of the plinth houses a new mechanical system serving a large portion of the university campus with new high-efficiency equipment and distribution systems, supporting the activites above in a technical capacity. The upper level houses student dining facilities and gathering spaces, the foundation of social interaction.
On the upper three floors, the building divides into three parts. Classrooms in the west wing are adjacent to other classroom buildings on the campus. Student activities, student government, and a large multipurpose room with views of the Manhattan skyline are in the east wing. Connecting the two wings, the main university Board Room and a two-story communal atrium are in a central vertical massing that anchors the university in its governance and community.
At the far east end, a new tower rises to the highest point on campus, at a location which brings together the major pathways from every entrance to the university, and leads them to the new "Living Room" of the campus inside.
The large glass opening at the center of the building reveals the intersection of the "cardo" and "decumanus," that is, the internal "streets" that cross at the center of the building, modeled after the primary organization of the cities of Rome, with the new "Living Room" of the campus located just off the intersection, like the Forum of these same cities, and providing the same civic function.
The modernized traditional language of the building, rendered in timeless brick and stone with accents of glass and metal, connects explicitly to the two most important early buildings on campus that established its character from the beginning. Heavier on the base and lightening toward the sky, composed of metal portals inserted into brick and stone visual containers, the language of the campus has been extended without copying, and enhanced for generations to enjoy.
Recognition and Links
American School & University Magazine
Architectural Portfolio: Outstanding Design, 2012
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has awarded St. John’s University a High Performance Building Plaque for designing and constructing its new student/university center with features that cut energy costs by nearly $245,000 annually. (http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Newsroom/2012-Announcements/2012-04-30-St-Johns-University-Receives-High-Performance-Energy-Efficiency-Award-from-NYSERDA.aspx)
http://www.stjohns.edu/campuses/enhancements/ucac
Acknowledgements and Credit
Architect: Gensler, with Michael Patrick as Gensler's project Design Director responsible for building design.
Interior Design: Gensler, with Michael Patrick involved in concept development.
Photography: Michael Patrick
---------------
New D'Angelo Center: combined University Center and Academic Center (UCAC)
$54M construction cost
5 Floors of classroom space, dining facilities, "living room" for the campus, student government offices, board room, multi-function space, social spaces, and new mechanical plant for portion of campus
Michael Patrick was the Design Director for the new 123,000 sf combined university center and academic classroom building for St. John's University, including concept development for the adjacent new quad on campus. In his role as Practice Area Leader in Education Projects he also was instrumental in winning the project for the firm.
St. John's University
D'Angelo Center
The project includes 800 classroom seats for students in tiered and non-tiered configurations, full dining facilities, student government and student organizations, a new two story "Living Room" for the campus, a Board Room, a 5,000 SF multi-purpose space, Greeks, and a Student Service Center. The building creates an internal street which connects nodes on the campus and creates a dynamic environment for student life and study, anchored by a Tower which connects the internal street to campus pathways from almost every entrance to the University. The lowest level includes a new mechanical plant for a significant portion of the campus, which consolidates and replaces older equipment for significant energy savings. Building opened Fall 2010, Michael Patrick delivering opening remarks; construction budget approximately $54M.
The building was consciously designed to capture the spirit of the University's three-part tradition of being Catholic, Vincentian (inspired by St. Vincent dePaul), and Metropolitan, with the "Living Room" reminiscent of Ellis Island as one of the great gathering points for new arrivals to New York and the United States.
In this view, this public face of the building towards Union Turnpike uses an architectural language of "surface and frame" to express the interior organization of the building, its groundedness into the site, and its connection to the architectural tradition of the campus.
The base of the building, becomes an extension of the landscape on the upper level. As a plinth, it forms the physical and functional foundation of the building above.
The lower level of the plinth houses a new mechanical system serving a large portion of the university campus with new high-efficiency equipment and distribution systems, supporting the activites above in a technical capacity. The upper level houses student dining facilities and gathering spaces, the foundation of social interaction.
On the upper three floors, the building divides into three parts. Classrooms in the west wing are adjacent to other classroom buildings on the campus. Student activities, student government, and a large multipurpose room with views of the Manhattan skyline are in the east wing. Connecting the two wings, the main university Board Room and a two-story communal atrium are in a central vertical massing that anchors the university in its governance and community.
At the far east end, a new tower rises to the highest point on campus, at a location which brings together the major pathways from every entrance to the university, and leads them to the new "Living Room" of the campus inside.
The large glass opening at the center of the building reveals the intersection of the "cardo" and "decumanus," that is, the internal "streets" that cross at the center of the building, modeled after the primary organization of the cities of Rome, with the new "Living Room" of the campus located just off the intersection, like the Forum of these same cities, and providing the same civic function.
The modernized traditional language of the building, rendered in timeless brick and stone with accents of glass and metal, connects explicitly to the two most important early buildings on campus that established its character from the beginning. Heavier on the base and lightening toward the sky, composed of metal portals inserted into brick and stone visual containers, the language of the campus has been extended without copying, and enhanced for generations to enjoy.
Recognition and Links
American School & University Magazine
Architectural Portfolio: Outstanding Design, 2012
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has awarded St. John’s University a High Performance Building Plaque for designing and constructing its new student/university center with features that cut energy costs by nearly $245,000 annually. (http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Newsroom/2012-Announcements/2012-04-30-St-Johns-University-Receives-High-Performance-Energy-Efficiency-Award-from-NYSERDA.aspx)
http://www.stjohns.edu/campuses/enhancements/ucac
Acknowledgements and Credit
Architect: Gensler, with Michael Patrick as Gensler's project Design Director responsible for building design.
Interior Design: Gensler, with Michael Patrick involved in concept development.
Photography: Michael Patrick
---------------
New D'Angelo Center: combined University Center and Academic Center (UCAC)
$54M construction cost
5 Floors of classroom space, dining facilities, "living room" for the campus, student government offices, board room, multi-function space, social spaces, and new mechanical plant for portion of campus
Michael Patrick was the Design Director for the new 123,000 sf combined university center and academic classroom building for St. John's University, including concept development for the adjacent new quad on campus. In his role as Practice Area Leader in Education Projects he also was instrumental in winning the project for the firm.
Also in: Queens, NY
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