Overview

The campus consists of academic, careers, and vocational buildings constructed as wings attached to a circulation “spine”. The wings are separated by light-generating courtyards, which are landscaped as part of the campus horticultural training program. A centrally-located agora, or student gathering place, opens onto a creek and sprawling meadow, while the administrative offices, library, bookstore, and cafeteria are situated to encourage interaction between students, faculty and visitors.

The DA Difference

The bucolic setting of this project presented some unique environmental considerations. Sensitive soil conditions and adjacency to a flood plane dictated that the complex be limited to two storeys. Working within these limitations, DA was able to incorporate the property’s historic and natural features into the design. Single-storey concrete-framed buildings with lightweight second-storey steel-framed forms clad in corrugated metal reflect the common materials found on many agricultural structures in the region.