Evaluation of the Schemes
Site Factors
Scheme X
- maintains the low scale dispersed nature of the existing
DuPont pavilions
- appears less massive
- strong eastern facade to visitor approach
- strong links between the exterior courtyards and the interior
spaces
- maintains the physical opening to the Harry Wood Garden from
the North Quad
- courtyards can be traversed without entering the building
Scheme Y
- more traditional building block
- completes the north end of the North Quad
- primary volume terminates the north/south axis of Parrish Hall
and the North Quad
- internal loop of circulation at the ground level and a
continuous path at the second level
- concentrates more program close to Martin Hall and the Science
Commons
- building extends into the North Quad further than the existing
DuPont Lecture Hall
- building will seem larger since all of the new construction is
two stories above ground and central
- closes off the view of the Harry Wood Garden from the Quad
- creates a larger interior courtyard which is also accessible
from the east
- building entrance locations create new diagonal relationships
to other buildings on campus - Beardsley Hall, Hicks Engineering
Building and Trotter Quad
Classrooms
Scheme X
- creates a public zone at the Quad level with the Science
Commons and most of the classrooms
- two lecture halls in the center flanking the entrance to the
Harry Wood Garden
- lecture halls need to be designed to mitigate the opaque
character of their facades
Scheme Y
- two lecture halls at opposite ends of the site
- classrooms and teaching laboratories in the central building
- draws activity equally to both ends of the complex
- places the 200 seat lecture hall away from the Science Commons
and Biology
- Organic Chemistry Laboratory positioned opposite the
classrooms in the first level of the central building
Science Commons
Scheme X
- between Cornell Library and the 80 person lecture hall
- seating along the Quad edge and circulation along the north
edge and sunken garden
- channels all traffic along the interactive space on only one
level
- allows for a higher ceiling because it is only one story
- open stair near Cornell Library gives access to the classrooms
and Physics/Astronomy department below and to the Main floor of
the Biology department and the second story overlook into the
Science Commons
Scheme Y
- placed between the main entry point for Cornell Library and
the Quad entrance for all departments except for the Biology
department in Martin Hall
- physically accessible and visually open to two levels on both
sides
- seating area is located on the north side, facing the Crum
Woods and the west wing of DuPont and the circulation is along the
Quad edge
- open stair in the double height portion of the Science Commons
connects Cornell Library with the second floor of the central
building where Chemistry is located.
Department Locations
Scheme X
- Physics/Astronomy area surrounds the lower courtyard
- Math/Statistics at the first floor of the north building of
DuPont with Computer Science above
- Chemistry in an L shaped building on the east edge of the site
- new Introduction to Biology Laboratory on the second floor of
the new building in front of Cornell Library
- strong adjacency between Chemistry and Biology
- Biologists will have to go outside to get to the 200 seat
lecture hall, or use the basement connection to transport
experiments and displays.
Scheme Y
- Chemistry in the central building
- new Introduction to Biology Laboratory on the second floor of
the new building in front of Cornell Library
- Math/Statistics located on the first floor of the west DuPont
Building with Computer Science below
- Physics/Astronomy placed in the north DuPont Building that
connects to the east end of the new Chemistry wing
- creates a strong connection between all of the building
components on two levels
- situates Chemistry and Biology as close as possible
Phasing and Constructability
- Scheme X requires that Physics/Astronomy move twice
- two schemes are equally complex from a construction standpoint
Conclusion
- both schemes work well
- offer different possibilities
- desire to have optimal circulation and traffic patterns is at
odds with the idea of a building that is low scale and
philosophically open to the rest of the campus
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chair of the Science Project User's Group,
Rachel Merz (rmerz1@swarthmore.edu)
last updated 11/23/99
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