COVER FEATURE Best in class 41 ’s grand staircase acts as a “vertical piazza”, and is the building’s heart. Housing the School of Art, Architecture and Engineering for one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the US, City’s 41 Cooper Square has been designed The building’s “double skin” façade adds to both its performance to be an inspiring, interactive space for its high-achieving and its aesthetic. students and faculty members, writes Jerry Yudelson.

One of the oldest higher education auditorium. The top floor is dedicated facilities in the US, the to studio and classroom space. was founded in 1859 by Peter Cooper, who believed that education of the The lowest basement level contains highest quality should be “as free the school’s machine shops and design as air and water”. laboratories, along with most HVAC and other building equipment. The first The college is “all-honours”, and each basement level houses an auditorium, student admitted receives a full-tuition a 198-person capacity lecture hall, scholarship. Completed in 2009 and conference rooms and exhibition space. originally called the New Academic Building, 41 Cooper Square became the first academic building in A STRONG CORE 1 to receive a LEED Platinum certification. Designed by Morphosis Architects, the structure presents a few unconventional architectural features, including a We literally designed sculpted mesh façade, full-height sky-lit out from the core, always atrium, aluminum window walls, a four- keeping in mind that the story central staircase, and sky bridges. building should be as The intention behind the overall design strong and innovative was to create an inspiring, interactive space for students and faculty. as the institution itself ’ “We literally designed out from the core, Replacing an aging campus building, always keeping in mind that the building 41 Cooper Square houses the School should be as strong and innovative as the of Art, Architecture and Engineering. institution itself,” says Thom Mayne of The 16,258-sq m building contains nine Morphosis Architects.2 above-ground floors and two basements. Connecting the first four floors is the Classrooms, small engineering linear grand staircase, which is used both laboratories, study lounges, art studio for transportation and as a recreational space, and faculty offices populate the space for students. The higher floors are first eight above-ground floors. Free connected by floating interior sky bridges, public events and exhibitions take place as well as two standard corner staircases in the ground-floor public art gallery and and three elevators.

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“Internally, the building is conceived as a vehicle to foster collaboration and cross-disciplinary dialogue among the college’s three schools, previously housed in separate buildings,” says Mayne. “A vertical piazza – the central space for informal social, intellectual and creative exchange – forms the new academic building’s heart. “An undulating lattice surrounds a 20-foot (6m) wide grand stair, which ascends four stories from the ground level through the sky-lit central atrium that itself extends to the building’s full height. This ‘vertical piazza’ is the building’s social heart, providing a place 41 Cooper Square’s grand staircase acts as a “vertical piazza”, and is the building’s heart. for impromptu and planned meetings, student gatherings, lectures, and the intellectual debate that defines the academic environment.”3

To promote both increased physical activity and for impromptu meeting opportunities, the design team developed a “skip- stop” circulation strategy’ Atop the grand staircase is a student lounge, which overlooks the city and contains a small café as well as naturally lit study areas. To promote both increased physical activity and for impromptu meeting opportunities, the design team developed a “skip-stop” circulation strategy. This means the lift stops only at the first, fifth and eighth floors, encouraging people to use the grand staircase and sky bridges. A freight elevator and passenger elevator stop at each floor, both for ADA compliance and moving materials, artworks and equipment.4

FREE FOR ALL Aligning with Cooper Union’s dedication to free, open and accessible education, the floor-to-ceiling atrium and perforated façade allow for physical and visual permeability. “In the spirit of the institution’s dedication to free, open and accessible education, the building itself is symbolically open to the city,” says Mayne. “Visual transparencies and accessible public spaces connect the institution to the physical, social and cultural fabric of its urban context. At street level, the transparent façade invites the

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2010 PERFORMANCE DATA NOTES 1. www.cooper.edu/cubuilds/green.html, Annual use Intensity accessed May 23, 2011. 2. www.arcspace.com/architects/ Electricity use (kWh) 4,969,600 306kWh/sq m morphosis/cooperunion/cooperunion. Gas use (Therm) 128,862 html, accessed May 20, 2011. 3. The Inner Sanctum, September 30, Gas use (kWh) 3,775,657 232 kWh/sq m 2009, World Architecture News, @ 29.3 kWh/therm www.worldarchitecturenews.com/ Total energy use (kWh) 8,745,257 538 kWh/sq m index.php?fuseaction=wanappln. projectview&upload_id=12454, accessed May 20, 2011. neighborhood to observe and to take Council, 41 Cooper Square’s 4. Nico Saieh, “The Cooper Union for part in the intensity of activity contained sustainability initiatives include radiant the Advancement of Science and Art / within.”5 heating and cooling ceiling panels that Morphosis Architects,” November 12, introduce innovative HVAC technology 2009, www.archdaily.com/40471/the- 20 - 22 May, 2014 Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre A semi-transparent layer of perforated to boost energy efficiency. This cooper-union-for-the-advancement- metal panels wraps the exterior window contributes to making the new building of-science-and-art-morphosis- walls. This double-skin system is a 40 per cent more energy efficient than architects/, accessed May 20, 2011. key feature of both the building’s a standard academic research building. performance and the exterior aesthetic. 5. The Inner Sanctum, op.cit. Operable panels create a continually 6. www.architecture-page.com/go/ varying façade while controlling solar In the spirit of the institution’s projects/new-academic-building- gain, providing occupant control and dedication to free, open and cooper-union__2, accessed May 20, offering views to the outdoors.6 2011 accessible education, the 7. http://morphopedia.com/projects/ In the winter, the panels help to insulate building itself is symbolically the building, and in the summer, they cooper-union, accessed May 20, 2011. provide shade.7 open to the city 8. www.cooper.edu/cubuilds/donors. ’ html, accessed May 25, 2011. Recognised as a high-performance The full-height atrium enables unique building by the US Green Building circulation for building occupants, improves air flow and provides increased interior daylighting. Indeed, 75 per cent of the building’s regularly occupied AT A GLANCE spaces are lit by natural daylight. The knowledge A green roof insulates the building, reduces the heat island effect, stormwater Name: 41 Cooper Square run-off and pollutants; the harvested Listen, learn, network Size: 16,264 sq m water is reused. A cogeneration plant Completion: June 2009 provides additional power for the Australia’s ONLY international Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and building, recovers waste heat and Cost: AU$124.1 million effectively cuts energy costs. Building Services trade exhibition is returning to Melbourne in 2014 Distinction: LEED NC The $124.1 million building was funded Platinum Program: Academic in part by New York state, New York Registrations are now open for the ARBS 2014 seminar program. and laboratory building with City and alumni donations, identified by From breakfast panel discussions to “just the facts” information sessions, exhibition gallery, auditorium, nameplates, engravings and recognition lounge and multi-purpose space, throughout the building.8 there are more than 20 opportunities for your continued professional development, and retail space. As an intellectual and cultural centre information and networking. Project team of New York City, Cooper Union wished to create an iconic building. The school Architect: Morphosis Architects accomplished that goal with 41 Cooper Sky bridges criss-cross the General contractor: FJ Sciame Square, and at the same time produced full-height atrium, connecting floors. See the full program or register NOW at a highly rated green building. ❚ Image: Jerry Yudelson. Owner: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of www.arbs.com.au Science and ArtPPM, Source: The World’s Greenest Buildings: Promise vs Performance in Follow us acting for Cbus Property Sustainable Design, by Jerry Yudelson and Ulf Meyer (London: Routledge Structural engineer: Taylor & Francis, 2013), Chapter 7, available at www.routledge.com/books/ Winward Structures details/9780415606295/ ARBSexpo @arbsexpo Arbs Exhibitions Limited

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122-ARBS Seminar Ecolibrium ADV 210x297+3.indd 1 20/03/2014 12:56 pm