Details
Location Kalamazoo, MI
Size 10,000 ft²
Completed 2013 (expected)
Certification LEED Gold (expected)
Architect Studio Gang Architects
Owner Kalamazoo College
stimulate (verb) stĭm’yə-lāt
To encourage development of or increased activity in a state or process. The Arcus Center is designed to stimulate community conversation. All three wings slope back toward a central hearth at the building’s core. Surrounded by benches and woodsy details, the fireplace—the archetypal spot for exploring ideas—connects the building’s mission with its design.
context (noun) ‘kän-,tekst
The interrelated conditions in which something exists or occurs. The Arcus Center is at the intersection of three contexts: Kalamazoo College, a residential neighborhood, and a wooded area. Responding to each, the building’s three sides curve away, moving energetically toward all three areas. Each wingtip features a glass façade, creating a point of connection with the surrounding community.
traditional (adj) trə-‘di-shə-nəl
Produced, done, or used in accordance with long-established customs or beliefs. Studio Gang chose not to use traditional architectural styles from the nearby Dutch colonial homes; however, the exterior nods to a different local architectural tradition where the façade is studded with rounded cuts of local white cedar laid in mortar, which is a highly insulated construction method called cordwood masonry.
Produced, done, or used in accordance with long-established customs or beliefs. Studio Gang chose not to use traditional architectural styles from the nearby Dutch colonial homes; however, the exterior nods to a different local architectural tradition where the façade is studded with rounded cuts of local white cedar laid in mortar, which is a highly insulated construction method called cordwood masonry.
