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Establishing a sustainable, contextually sensitive connector between learning environments on the historic Lawrenceville School campus

The Lawrenceville School Gruss Center for Art and Design

Client
The Lawrenceville School
Location
Lawrenceville, NJ
Size
22,700 SF
Photographer
Jane Messinger
Services
Architecture
Status
Completed 2020
Awards
THE PLAN AWARD, Shortlist, Education category
Fast Co. World Changing Ideas Awards, Honorable Mention—Architecture category

The Gruss Center for Art and Design is a new 21st century student learning center and makerspace at The Lawrenceville School that bridges museum space and the school’s visual arts studios. The strategy for enclosure responds to this new typology with simple, neutral materials that allow for transparency and student engagement with the activities happening inside.

Today’s shift in educational paradigm centers on project-based learning to promote cross disciplinary teaching. Students realize their potential world impact by making things with their hands and fostering their creativity through group collaboration. The project aims to nurture this hands-on culture.

Work-focused spaces are organized across three levels and include a forum for student engagement, wood and metal shops, clean labs, print and seminar rooms, and large storage areas. The “flex room”, which floats over the forum, is a 2,000-square-foot space that can be divided to suit a variety of needs.

For more information contact Vinicius Gorgati.

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