Looking up at a multi-level glass atrium ceiling in a modern building with white decorative moldings and trim.

Photography: Bruce Coleman

Interior of a building with marble pillars, glass doors, and a balcony with a metal railing on the upper level. The ceiling has decorative moldings and wooden accents, and the space is well-lit.

The School of Architecture has been located in various portions of Slocum Hall on the Syracuse University campus since its construction in 1917.  As its faculty evolved with the modern movement, a contentious relationship ensued with their rather banal Beaux Arts building. It was heavily modified over time, with much of its architectural quality lost to previous insensitive renovations. Ultimately, the school chose to remain in Slocum Hall because of its pivotal location at the center of campus among arts and engineering disciplines.

Prior to the renovation, the School formulated a broad programmatic mandate to reflect the creative potential of architecture, to make architecture visible on campus, to reinforce collegiality and interdisciplinary study, and to demonstrate to its students the fundamental principles of form and construction.

The building’s abandoned atrium became the focus of this effort. The atrium now allows sunlight to penetrate the center of the building and air to move throughout unassisted by fans and ducts. The building’s early twentieth century ventilation engine, fueled by gravity, was restored and augmented with contemporary controls. As the school now occupies the entire building, the atrium promotes visibility and encourages interaction among faculty, students, and visitors, bringing the school together as a single entity.

Interior view of a modern building with multiple floors and staircases, featuring white walls, glass railings, and natural light from large windows.
Empty interior space with white walls, ceiling, and columns, glass barriers, wooden panels, and a staircase in the background.
Empty auditorium with black chairs facing a stage with a large black screen and a wooden podium, wooden paneling on the walls and ceiling.
Blueprint of a multi-story building showing different sections including a studio, atrium, admin suite, conference room, and auditorium, with diagrams illustrating air circulation and sunlight management.
Architectural blueprint of a multi-level building with structural framework, roof, and interior elements shown in wireframe, exploded view.

The auditorium is designed to create optimal acoustics for both its interior and the gallery below. It was designed as a three dimensional digital model which was imported directly to CNC routers that milled its bamboo plywood cladding system. In the fall 2008, after this complete renovation, the Syracuse University School of Architecture has reoccupied its ninety-year home.

Close-up of a wooden panel with circular cutouts next to a wire grid panel with a similar pattern of circular openings.
Modern indoor space with wooden benches and a large wooden partition with circular cutouts.

At the center of the building, years of accumulated construction were removed to reveal vast interior volumes. One of these now contains a flexible gallery and presentation space with a 135 seat auditorium supported above. These spaces work in harmony with one another, as overflow audiences occupy the gallery and are linked to activities inside via digital projection.

Modern interior exhibit space with a large wooden structure resembling a table or sculpture with perforated panels, supported by angled metal legs, under ceiling lights.
Interior of an architecture or design studio with people working at drafting tables, shelves filled with models and supplies, and bright natural light from windows.
Cafe buffet with various baked goods, drinks, and three staff members preparing food.

Client
Syracuse University

Status
Complete

Info
2008
Institutional
Syracuse, NY

Awards
AIA / NYS Design Merit Award

Publications
→ Syracuse University: Reweaving the DNA of Slocum Hall
→ Eco Walk Through - Higher Learning, Featuring Syracuse University's Slocum Hall
→ Good Bones Win Out, Spring 2009