CREDITS: 1.00 LU/HSW
Course DescriptionThe course examines a new building at Barnard College, located in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The Diana Center, designed by New York–based firm Weiss/Manfredi, offers an example of an effective synthesis of building and landscape, in which the role of the building extends beyond its walls to include the surrounding area. The course includes an explanatory text, images, a series of technical drawings, details of the structure of the shell, and explanatory notes. The course will further the student’s knowledge of the use of glass to provide both optimal lighting and privacy.
Learning Objectives – after reading the article and studying the drawings, you will be able to:
- Analyze the design choices made as regards the building’s functions that determined the division into several volumes, and describe how these volumes are interconnected by carefully planned walkways.
- Explain the most important esthetic choices as regards color, the use of glass, and the composition of the volumes in relation to the comfort of the interiors.
- Describe how the building is incorporated into its setting, including in terms of the different treatment of its shell and finishes in relation to the historic buildings of Barnard College.
- Analyze the role of the building relative to the definition of public spaces in the city and within the college itself.