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The original Higgins
The extension to Higgins Hall at reconciled by a ramp that creates made of foamed aluminium, a Hall, before fire
Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, the an extended promenade traversing product that is widely used for destroyed the middle
section.
largest independent college of art between the street front and impact absorption in automobile 2
Clad in a translucent
and design in the US, is Steven garden back of the building. The bumpers. The building’s structural skin, Holl’s new building
Holl’s first major institutional ramp is capped by an asymmetrical frame, independent of the old re-consolidates the
composition.
commission in his home territory gullwing skylight that juxtaposes loadbearing masonry walls,
of New York City. Higgins Hall, different qualities of daylight from comprises six large precast
which houses Pratt’s architecture tall north- and low south-facing concrete columns linked by beams.
programme, formerly consisted of glazing. The new link provides While the four corner columns
three separate historic landmark public and social spaces including are ‘static,’ the central column on
buildings. However, when the an entrance lobby that splits along each facade shifts and mutates to
central building was destroyed by the fissure to provide a ground accommodate the cranked beams
fire in 1996, the two remaining level reception and gallery and a of different floor levels on either
were left isolated. Holl was lower level lobby serving a new side of the fissure. Precast floor
appointed to stitch them together, auditorium and classrooms. This planks are simply finished with
a task that has been tackled by entrance, together with design polished concrete topping, and
balancing the need for sensitivity studios on upper floors, ensures voids in the planks are utilised as
to the historic buildings with the that the new building is occupied wiring conduits.
desire to create a new identity and and active around the clock. On upper levels, elegant linear
a landmark on the street. In keeping with the character aluminium uplighters, designed
The difference in floor levels of the nineteenth-century brick by the architects, illuminate the
between the two historic buildings, buildings – which have been exposed concrete soffit, while in
which increases sequentially from renovated by Rogers Marvel the auditorium, holes cut in the
a mere 12mm at ground level Architects – the material precast planks provide recessed
to 2m on the fourth floor roof, vocabulary of the new infill is lighting – bare bulbs without the
was the key factor in shaping the robust. This provides the setting usual metal housing. In contrast
scheme. The new insertion pulls for Holl to pursue his interest with this spartan character,
out existing floor levels from the in material experimentation, galvanised ducts at the north
north and south wings, and the including handrails of rusted and south ends of the new link
fault line where they meet – which steel that are merely sealed are exuberant, dipping below the
Holl calls the ‘dissonant zone’ – is and a handsome gallery door concrete beams to terminate in
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ARTFUL ADDITION
This new insertion balances sensitivity to
history with a formal and civic boldness.
ART SCHOOL EXTENSION ,
NEW Y ORK , USA
ARCHITECT
54 | 2 STEVEN HOLL A RCHITECTS exploded projection of building elements 2 55 | 2

flamboyant three-throated grills The newly created H-block has a
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adjacent to each column. west-facing forecourt on St James Studios at the
topmost level.
The serene interior atmosphere Place. A sculpted ground of steps 4
is created largely by the design and ramps, partly formed of bricks A ramp forms
an extended
of the east and west facades, salvaged from the fire, makes the promenade and
where structural glass channels transition from street to entrance, reconciles floor
level differences.
filled with translucent white which is marked by a projecting 5
insulation provide diffuse daylight glazed lobby that is an outgrowth Entrance hall with
stairs curving down
to the entrance lobby, gallery of the clear fissure in the to a lower level
and studios. At the fault line, the translucent facade. To the east, the lecture hall.
thick translucent skin gives way basement auditorium roof creates
to a patchwork of clear glazing, a raised terrace that, accessible
sometimes canted, in red oxide from the gallery, overlooks the
painted steel framing, which marks rear gardens of terraced houses
the dissonant zone of the ramp adjacent to the site.
and allows generous views out. Investing in the reconstruction
The clean repetitive character of Higgins Hall is one piece of a
of the glass channels contrasts larger initiative developed over
markedly with the historic the past 13 years by Thomas
buildings, which provide quirky F. Schutte, President of Pratt,
‘as found’ interior elevations who has worked to improve 3
to the north and south. This the campus and use it as an
serendipitous character is very engine to convincingly stimulate
evident in the auditorium, where the regeneration of this area of
cast iron columns and remnants of Brooklyn. Because the architecture
field stone foundations combine school is a block away from the
with ad hoc openings in brickwork Pratt campus, it must have an
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to create a striking contrast with academic identity and work as 8
the pared down discipline of the part of the city. The building
concrete insertion. clearly fulfils both roles with its
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8 14 8
ART SCHOOL EXTENSION ,
NEW Y ORK , USA 5
ARCHITECT
STEVEN HOLL A RCHITECTS
4
first floor
entrance forecourt providing a
5 13
1 lower lobby modest new public space where
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2 classroom students meet and linger all hours.
3 lecture hall
4 multimedia This modest infill project
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5 offices yields rich returns at many levels.
6 copy room
7 storage 11 The concept of the dissonant
8 studio
9 entrance court
10 zone permeates the scheme,
10 lobby orchestrating plan, section and
11 reception 12
12 gallery 9 elevation as well as circulation,
cross section looking north
13 sculpture terrace daylight and views. Through its
14 ramp
direct expression of materials
ground floor plan (scale approx 1:1000) and details, the building enables
the architecture school to play a
didactic role for the students it
4 3 8
houses. This quiet, spare insertion
does not ape the old buildings
but has its own distinct identity,
5 2 creating an ensemble that provides
1 welcome public and educational
2
amenities and strengthens Pratt’s
6 presence in the city.
ANNETTE LECUYER
7
Architect
Steven Holl Architects, New York
Photographs
56 | 2 long section looking east lower ground floor 5 All photographs by Andy Ryan except no 1 57 | 2