One of my last projects at Shepley Bulfinch was collaborating with architect Michael Joyce AIA, LEED AP, to develop a graphic frit glass pattern for the forthcoming Penn Pavilion at Duke University. One thing that made this LEED Silver project special is that Joyce and I are both MassArt alumni. Although we were years apart, we often shared stories and reflections upon our former MassArt Design Professors. Under the direction of Principal Architect Tom Kearns, FAIA, Joyce and I explored possibilities for the glass using unique prototyping methods, including large-format printing and light projections.
Years after the project was completed, around 2017, I ran into Joyce at MassArt. I was teaching in the Communication Design program, and he was giving a guest lecture titled “Narrative Devices.” Joyce, who received his Master’s in Architecture from MIT, approached me after the talk, and we began to reminisce about the Penn Pavilion project. Joyce recalled our prototyping exercises, which used large projections and proportional studies. These techniques were used to iteratively assess potential graphic effects and perceptual patterns at 1:1 scale and at various distances. Half-jokingly, Joyce recalled how staff members watched curiously as we projected a series of pattern images in a large, open common space.
The new Penn Pavilion marked the first step in a comprehensive plan to revamp the West Campus at Duke University. Upon launch, the building provided space for dining and for meetings, courses, and conferences. The Pavilion’s design employed an extensive glazed curtain walling system supported by an aluminum frame. This system lent occupants panoramic views over the nearby Anderson Woods and the campus’s Gothic Quarter. The curved east facade is more expressive and was fitted with a mullion-less structural glazing facade. As part of an integrated daylight management system, external solar shading and the special glazing minimize direct sunlight and glare.
According to Archello, a website self-described as the hub between the creative and making industry, the “entire outer façade (837 m²) has been constructed using SCHOLLGLAS products and ensures a visually homogeneous exterior shell despite the varying requirements dictated by each installation location. The self-supporting façade at the front of the building is particularly impressive.”1
Archello goes on to note that, “They were manufactured using modern GEWE-therm® heat-insulating glass, of which individual components are combined using a range of glass refining processes. The products used include laminated safety glass and thermally toughened single-pane safety glass which were subjected to heat-soak testing. In addition to this, a highly selective sun protection coating has been used on the south side of the building to prevent overheating. The special coating has a high light transparency of 65 % while only allowing 34 % of the total energy to pass through.”2
Finally, in a nod to the portion I worked in with Joyce, Archello notes, “A screen-printed stripe pattern has also been applied to some of the glass elements, bringing rhythm and structure to the design of the façade.”3 Shepley Bulfinch notes that the project was “Designed for transparency and flexibility…,” while noting that “the Penn Pavilion’s glass facade encases a modular interior, underscoring the authentic beauty and social vibrancy of Duke’s West Campus.”4
Credits—
- Tom Kearns, FAIA, Principal
- Michael Joyce, AIA, LEED AP, Design Architect
- Robert Peirce, Construction Administration
- Dan Vlahos, Graphic Designer
Footnotes
- “Penn Pavilion,” Archello, https://archello.com/project/penn-pavilion. ↩︎
- Ibid. ↩︎
- Ibid. ↩︎
- “Flexiblity for Form and Function: Penn Pavilion.” Shepley Bulfinch, https://shepleybulfinch.com/projects/duke-university-penn-pavilion/. ↩︎
FILED IN: Design Research
