Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Seaton Hall Expands

My alma mater, Kansas State University, is dedicating its expanded College of Architecture, Planning and Design on October 13. Regnier Hall, as the expansion is being called, is designed by New York's Ennead Architects (design partner Tomas Rossant) with BNIM as architect-of-record.



The expansion renovates portions of, and inserts itself between, Seaton Hall (left in the rendering above) and Seaton Court (aka Mechanics Hall, right in rendering above). The situation is hard to grasp fully in the available renderings, but this video produced by CAPD Dean Tim de Noble is very helpful in understanding the project:


Additionally, Tom Leopold has documented the project's construction on Instagram (apdesignexpansion); here are a few highlights:






Although I can't make it to the building's dedication next month, I should be posting more on the project in the near future.
Posted by John Hill at 10:30 AM

5 comments:

  1. daveTuesday, August 29, 2017 11:34:00 AM

    We visited this summer (first time back for me since graduating the LA program in 2004). Plans to show our pre-teen kids where Dad spent too many nights in studio were curtailed, but they enjoyed the 1st year spatial models probably as much. I was bummed to learn that the LandArch department was located at the regional airport about 10 miles away. Really feel for the current LA students-- the inter-disciplinary social scene, as well as a proper studio environment, felt like such an integral part of the experience. Perhaps it's overly dramatic to say, but I'd be a different LA today without all those hours spent in Seaton Hall. Thanks for posting!

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    1. John HillTuesday, August 29, 2017 11:58:00 AM

      Similarly, I've taught studio where hot-desks are the norms rather than studios. In addition to those students being unable to work during class (they wanted to work at home instead) those studios lacked the culture and camaraderie that I recall from KSU. I can't imagine being out at the airport rather than on campus near other students.

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    2. UnknownWednesday, August 30, 2017 11:06:00 AM

      It wasn't just the L.Arch Students - It was the whole college. It was a pretty dismal space for sure. Glad they're all back on campus! thanks for sharing!

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  2. ercwttmnThursday, August 31, 2017 11:58:00 AM

    John, I had no idea you were a KSU alum as well! Thanks for the update and the pictures on your blog. I also agree with the studio culture written about in the previous comments. It's been over 10 years since I roamed Seaton Hall and this past summer when I got married most of my best men and a lot of my attendees were all from friendships fostered during late nights in the studio culture of Seaton. So glad to see the students have a new and great space to keep that important culture alive.

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    1. John HillThursday, August 31, 2017 12:58:00 PM

      Yep, it's been 21 years for me! Time for me to take a trip back there and see how things have changed.

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