PHYSICS RENOVATION
[PERKINS&WILL][BOSTON,MA][2019]
The Syracuse Physics building renovation involves two key projects: the Physics Basement and the Physics First Floor.
The Physics Basement, involves the refurbishment of physics labs on the basement floor and necessary infrastructure upgrades to facilitate future renovations on the lower three floors of the building. The current layout features an old, inefficient horse-track corridor, hindering transparency between labs and adding unnecessary circulation. This issue is compounded by the lack of sunlight and an outdated HVAC system that doesn't meet recent codes. Our proposed solution entails replacing the central mass and establishing two sliding lab bars, with communal spaces anchoring both ends of the building. Each lab bar will contain flexible labs and lab support spaces, adaptable to meet the building's future research requirements. All renovations will be supported by new infrastructure systems. Our design also aims to increase floor transparency, incorporate skylights where possible, implement strategic lighting, and rebrand the floor to compensate for the lack of natural light and foster collaboration among researchers
The Physics First Floor, focuses on renovating classrooms and introducing communal spaces and collaborative areas. The primary design strategies include creating an open pathway from the quad through the building, replacing dark-tinted windows with fully transparent glazing, and introducing natural light into classrooms by making precise cuts into the existing limestone.
Client: Syracuse University
Design: Perkins&Will
MEP Engineering: BR+A
Location: Syracuse, NY
