The team at New York–based Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed a plan for the Creative Arts Center at Brown University in Providence, R.I., that would advance directions in teaching and research as well as cross boundaries between the arts, sciences, and humanities. The building is made up of large uninterrupted floor plates that are cut along a shear line and offset to create six half-levels. The transparent west façade stands in contrast to the other three exterior walls, which are draped in a CNC-milled zinc-composite skin that starts flush against the building on the western edge and gradually transitions to a pleated surface as it moves across the north and south façades toward the eastern edge of the building. At the southeast and northeast corners, the pleats are bunched to reveal glazed walls that allow light to seep into the building.
Jury Quotes
“This is not only the best metal building, this is the best entry period. It is really exciting, and it’s using a technology that we’ve seen before in a completely innovative and interesting way that has presence and differentiation within it. It creates a new architecture.” —Andre Kikoski
“You look at it, you look at it again, and you keep staring at it: What did they really do here to give you that image and how did they do that with metal? Coming back to the creative and innovative criteria: This is certainly an innovative project, all the pictures are very good, and you’re left scratching your head as to how you can possibly do this with metal.” —Scott Kriner
Project Credits
Project Perry and Marty Granoff Center for the Creative Arts, Providence, R.I.
Client Brown University
Architect Diller Scofidio + Renfro, New York—Elizabeth Diller, Ricardo Scofidio, AIA, Charles Renfro, AIA (principals); Gerard Sullivan, AIA (project leader); Jesse Saylor (project architect); Anthony Saby (project manager); Chris Andreacola, AIA, James Brucz, Mateo de Cardenas, Michael Hundsnurscher (core project team); Robert Condon, Kailin Gregga, Clint Keithley, Laith Sayigh, Flavio Stigliano, Hallie Terzopolos (project team)
Structural Engineer Robert Silman Associates
M/E/P/FP Engineer AltieriSeborWieber
Civil Engineer Nitsch Engineering
Geotechnical Engineer GZA GeoEnvironmental
Sustainability Consultant Atelier Ten
Landscape Architect Todd Rader + Amy Crews Architecture Landscape Architecture
Lighting Designer Tillotson Design Associates
Life Safety Consultant Hughes Associates
Façade Consultant Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Façade Peer Review Leavitt Associates
Specifications Consultant Construction Specifications
IT/Security Consultant Vanderweil Engineers
Acoustical and AV Consultant JaffeHolden
Theater Consultant Fisher Dachs Associates
Wayfinding Pentagram; Malcolm Grear Designers
Hardware Consultant Assa Abloy
Commissioning Agent RDK Engineers
Construction Manager Shawmut Design and Construction
Size 38,815 gross square feet
Cost $40 million (project cost), $27 million (construction cost)
Metal Product
Cladding Alcoa (VMZinc composite material) alcoa.com