Media Lab
New York
MB Architecture
DESIGNER: Maziar Behrooz (MB Architecture) BUILDER: Marvin, Renlita USA BUILD DATE: 2017
LOCATION: New York, United States PHOTO CREDITS: Mathew Carbone RATING: 5 Stars.
About
The ground-breaking 960 sq. ft Bard College Department of Experimental Humanities Lab building was created using 4 recycled shipping containers to create a spacious creative learning hub for students which can be utilised as classroom space or opened up to create a stage set for performances and concerts. The college wanted a spacious multi-purpose building for use by various departments within the site but could not afford to pay a premium for traditional construction methods.
Instead, they commissioned MB architectural to deliver a cost effective building to fit their needs:
Our practice has made an effort to off-set our more robustly budgeted projects with affordable ones. The pre-fab solutions that we offer as stand-alone products are amongst the most affordable building solutions in any urban or near-urban area in the US. We hope they can help individuals, organization, and businesses that would otherwise be unable to engage with architects and architecture for their building needs.
Build Method
This cutting edge prototype was delivered and installed on campus in half a day with the pouring of foundations the only on-site work required. The lab was occupied by students within a few days of installation, delivering the college much needed classroom learning space for its students. Every other element of the design was prefabricated off-site in a factory. Factory construction can deliver exquisite quality due to the controlled environment at a fraction of the price. It also removes the requirement of mass labour to travel to a site to construct it, removes the risk of poor weather delaying the build and ensures each unit is delivered to an exacting standard.
Critical features of the design were the 17ft tall space with the large pivoting garage door which opened out to bring the outdoor space to the fore and feel like part of the building. The generous areas of glazing within the container construction affords a generous amount of natural light and an airy feel, further adding to the spacious and wide open feel the containers deliver. The ease of natural light passage into the building will also ensure running costs from the use of electricity are kept to a minimum, another cost effective benefit of this container solution. The open plan rooms also emphasize these features, whilst allowing ample space for the easy circulation of students, or even the ability to facilitate a large gathering within the building.
On the day of the opening, even with a large crowd in the space, it did not feel small. On the contrary, we felt it could even receive more people.
Interbode Thoughts
The recycled shipping containers deliver a rustic urban aesthetic making them ideal for use in classrooms. Where space is at a premium, the containers can be stacked to create a spacious office or classroom in a small area to suit a wide variety of needs. This project at Bard College cost just over $200,000, delivering terrific value for money at a mere $210 per sq. ft.
Bard Media Lab Designs
BARD MEDIA LAB
High Level Architectural Plans of the Bard Media Lab by Interbode’s Design Workshop
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