Project Description
The Phoenix College Campus is dotted with mid-century classics designed by renowned architect, Ralph Haver. In 1969, Haver’s Physical Science Building’s cast-in-place concrete and brick facade adapted to the context of the Southwest, echoed the quiet sensibilities of current trends and served a small student body near the heart of Phoenix, Arizona.
In 2016, the building clung to its role as a central hub for the campus and as a local landmark on a prominent corner in a historic residential district, but was desperately in need of upgrades. A full interior renovation was set out with the goal of bringing this mid-century classic into the 21st Century – in both form and function. The “C Building Project” transformed the outdated, socially insular layout of classrooms into contemporary learning labs for chemistry, physical sciences, and engineering. The new design aligned program elements for maximum vertical efficiency with axial views for intuitive wayfinding and cross disciplinary learning. The integration of instructional and experiential environments led to a complex yet balanced renovation.
50 years after the building’s construction, the upgrades both respect and honor the past, yet embrace the evolution of contemporary academic and social needs.