乐播传媒

To collect campus input about the eventual look and feel of 乐播传媒鈥� new dining Commons, project architects Sasaki Associates offered something like an open-mike series in May.

Among other things, these pre-design discussions gave 乐播传媒 people the chance to opine on sustainable-design features and react to dining spaces at other U.S. colleges. At one gathering in Muskie Archives, students weighed in on the 鈥済reening鈥� of the new Commons, to be located next to Alumni Gym.

The discussion, which included a presentation by the Sasaki consultants Steven Winter Associates, balanced what is possible in the universe of sustainable design (from basic best practices to exotic and innovative measures) against what is reasonably possible at 乐播传媒. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 want a building filled with innovative technologies that become a money trap,鈥� said Jeremy Fisher 鈥�06 of Mount Kisco, N.Y. His comment met with nods from Sasaki and College reps. 鈥淭he most significant determinant of our strategy will be that one,鈥� said John Amatruda of Steven Winter Associates.

The proposed 55,000-square-foot dining Commons 鈥� by comparison, existing Memorial Commons and Chase Hall combined are 63,270 gross square feet 鈥� will be the first major 乐播传媒 facility designed from start to finish with a sustainable focus. 鈥淪ustainable鈥� means anything and everything from features that conserve water and energy (two-thirds of a dining hall鈥檚 energy use is electricity for lighting, cooling, fans, and other equipment) to using recycled materials in construction.

Another Sasaki-sponsored event was a 鈥渂rown paper鈥� session in Chase Hall Lounge. Sasaki staff tacked up long sheets of paper posted with photographs of institutional dining spaces. Handed markers as they walked in, faculty, students, and staff were encouraged to pen candid comments about the photos.

It was a 鈥減assive way to be aggressive鈥� about likes and dislikes, quipped Erin Foster Zsiga, housing director and assistant dean of students, and the comments flowed, from 鈥淟ooks like a rocket-ship interior鈥� and 鈥淲here鈥檚 the lounge singer?鈥� to 鈥淕reat! Fits 乐播传媒!鈥� and 鈥淪pace works but [needs] darker, richer colors and textures.鈥� The session should help Sasaki 鈥渄evelop a design response鈥� for the new building 鈥渢hat will appropriately reflect the culture and expectations of 乐播传媒,鈥� says principal-in-charge Alan Resnick.

Later in May, students traveled to Sasaki headquarters in Watertown, Mass., for the firm鈥檚 annual Green Day. David Miller 鈥�07 of Cambridge, Mass., saw the paper sheets in a conference room and the image stuck in his mind. During the subsequent greening session in Muskie, Miller noted 鈥渉ow cool it was to see the brown paper in your office. You were really processing it.鈥�

As he spoke, the Sasaki folks almost kept straight faces, but a few smiles broke through. You could guess their reaction: 鈥淕ee whiz, what did you expect?鈥� Truthfully? 鈥淚 guess [students] can be skeptical,鈥� Miller shrugged afterwards. 鈥淚 was impressed by seeing how [Sasaki] really does follow through. It makes you feel involved.鈥� Bingo, says Resnick. 鈥淎n open and honest exchange of ideas and expression of vision results in designs that capture the spirit of the place,鈥� he says.