New Skin and Bones: Mastering the Campus Building Envelope

Building envelope choices for campus, cultural, and infrastructure projects are shaped by particular conditions. Today, institutions place greater value on how buildings relate to their ensemble: how historic buildings fit next to new ones, how massing forms fit with their neighbors, and how a building cladding contributes to the campus context. Concurrently, enclosure assemblies and construction methods have undergone changes due to values of sustainability, science, durability, and maintenance.

In this context, mastering the building envelope on college and university campuses requires addressing both cultural concerns and technical performance, honoring traditional buildings while exploring the potential of new materials and forms.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

+ UNDERSTAND the pros and cons of precast concrete cladding

+ DISCUSS the benefits of the design-assist project delivery method

+ DESCRIBE the challenges with adding insulation to historic masonry walls

+ IDENTIFY the structural weak point of a masonry cavity wall