New Zealand Commercial Design Trends Series NZ Commercial Design Trends Vol. 35/01C | Page 62

Project
Thomas P Murphy Design Studio
Building, University of Miami School
of Architecture
Location:
Coral Gables, Florida, USA
Architect:
Arquitectonica
LEARNING CURVE
Simple, curvaceous, and with a touch of Modernism about it, the sculptural new
Thomas P Murphy Design Studio Building is a leader in more ways than one
Striving for architectural excellence is one
thing, learning your craft within a great example of
architectural excellence is quite another. Cue the
graceful yet raw, concrete-and-glass addition to the
University of Miami School of Architecture campus.
Continuing Arquitectonica’s long association with
the university, the architectural firm has designed
the school’s new Thomas P Murphy Design Studio
Building – an up-to-the-minute laboratory and col-
laborative space for young architecture students.
The 1858m 2 LEED-certified building is a focused,
innovative environment for students who will be the
future designers of the city and further afield, says
lead designer and project manager Raymond Fort.
“The building’s sculptural exposed structure of
glass and concrete serves as a teaching tool by
illustrating some of the basic tenets of modern
architecture, construction and sustainability.”
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The building is, in essence, a single, oversized
shed, with a vaulted roof suspended 5.5m over the
floor by narrow steel columns and a few fixed walls.
Located next to a busy campus intersection, the
building includes a plaza area and adjoining path-
way that links the campus to the Miami Metrorail.
“The building’s single, curved concrete wall faces
the main public transit entrance and the Jorge
M Perez Architecture Center that stands at the
heart of the architecture school,” says Fort. “This
southern wall peels away to connect with the Perez
centre’s arched portico and octagonal auditorium.
“Acting as a symbolic welcoming gesture, the
curve invites students to walk up to the building. It
also softens the look of the rectilinear plan.”
The roof structure creates a sense of openness
and allows natural light to permeate the building.
“The roof is a thin-shell concrete structure that
Previous pages and these
pages:The graceful fluidity of
concrete is celebrated in the
simple lines of the Thomas P
Murphy Design Studio Building.