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casey servis

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photograph of model
Site Plan
This project was the focus of the comprehensive studio during my graduate studies. The task was to design a new campus site plan for the American College of the Building Arts on a former plantation outside of Charleston. The campus was to include studio space for the six different building arts taught at the college as well as a main academic building housing administrative space and the library. The campus buildings were to be located along the southern edge of the property away from the historic plantation house and outbuildings. The slight variations in orientation alternately address the plantation house and slave cabins that stand to the north.
floor plan
East Elevation

After completion of the site plan, the design focused on the iron working studios. However, the design of the studios allowed for them to be replicated for each of the building arts. The studio buildings each had four distinct facades. The southern, northern and eastern facades in each building are constructed of a steel frame with glass infill panels. On the northern facade, the glass is transparent, and on the southern facade the glass is translucent, while the mediating eastern facade is patterned between transparent and translucent panels as seen above.

photograph of model
West Elevation

The western facade is a three foot thick masonry wall which in the case of the iron working studio, houses the forges on the interior while providing benches and tables on the exterior. This masonry wall also supports the second story walkway that spans between all the campus buildings, turning the studios and courtyards into galleries where the student work is on display as their peers, faculty and guests walk from studio to studio.

Orchids
Wall Section and Partial Elevation

The wall section and partial elevation begin to depict the connection between the masonry western wall and the heavy timber roof. The thickness of the wall allows for the carving away of spaces for the forges and chimneys as well as other elements such as benches. The studios were designed to showcase all six building arts taught at the college, as well as begin to explore the various connections that can be made between them.