CCSU

Downtown New Britain

PLAZA Campus

PROJECT SUMMARY

THE PROJECT SUMMARY

CCSU’s downtown campus at The Plaza features approximately 40,000 square feet of program space. The Art Department program calls for 32,000 square feet of area and is located on ground, lower and upper levels of the building with panoramic views of greater New Britain and beyond. An art gallery and student function areas is located on the ground and lower levels, punctuated with several two-story, interconnecting spaces. The new streetscape includes a sculpture garden and work yard in the rear and student café, bike rentals and other social interaction areas in the front. A mix of unique design features affords the students an enhanced quality of life in the downtown area. To increase access to multi-modal transportation options, The Plaza owners are currently in talks with the City to install a public bike-share system similar to what is found in other forward-thinking cities and university towns. This, along with the CT Fastrak, is sure to provide students with the feeling they are minutes from it all.

THE PLAZA STRUCTURE

The Plaza of New Britain was built in 1964 for New Britain Trust Company which later became Fleet Bank/Bank of America. Emery Roth & Sons, the most influential architectural firm in New York in the 1950’s & 1960’s, was com-missioned to be the architect of the original structure. Emery Roth & Sons contributed substantially in changing the appearance of midtown and lower Manhattan. Beginning in the mid-1960s, the firm was also hired as associate architects in large-scale projects like the Pan Am Building, the Citicorp Center, and the GM Building. For the New Britain Trust Company, principal architect and lead designer Richard Roth designed a pre-cast concrete wall panel exterior which was new and innovative for its time, and this building is one of the earlier examples of its use. This innovative spirit has been embraced once again as the implicit and prime driver of the current design.

Dusk View across Corner of Bank and Main Streets

PROJECT VISION

THE PROJECT VISION

Together with CCSU, HJ Development and Pirie Associates Architects would create a new vision for The Plaza which repurposes the building for educational use. The design approach re-envisions the building both inside and out, taking advantage of the solid, well-designed and flexible existing structure. The goals of the CCSU design effort are: to create high quality spaces for learning, teaching and re-search; to invite inquiry, exploration and creativity; and to encourage collegial interaction. The location of quasi-public program functions along with visual and physical connections to the city are purposefully situated to provide opportunities for interaction and mutuality, inviting interaction and synergy that will feed both the University and City. Specific design responses aimed at reaching these goals are outlined below.

Exterior Design Proposal ▪ The dark, opaque ground floor curtain wall is replaced with transparent glass that brings the

street-level elements into interface with the City. The functions on the ground floor are publically oriented including a gallery on Main Street.

▪ Selective replacement of upper story glazing allows visual connection to the interior functions and

brings more life to the city’s skyline (particularly in the evening and at night). ▪ At sidewalk level, the corners of the entry plaza and side yards have been defined by program and

planting elements so the areas around the building are actively engaged as part of the building space. The interior forms and materials extend from inside to outside in a playful and energetic manner to enhance the visual and physical connections between interior and exterior. The newly revitalized plazas are great places for food carts, social interaction, and collegial conversation.

▪ One can walk up into a Sculpture Garden along Bank Street with seating, a café or other semi-

public functions. ▪ The outdoor Work Area for the Sculpture and Ceramics disciplines is to the east of the building

along Scalise Drive. This area can be seen from the street, adding energy to and interest in what the students are creating.

Detail View at Corner of Bank and Main Streets

View of 6th Floor Gallery

PROJECT VISION

THE PROJECT VISION continued

Interior Design Proposal ▪ The building will have three entries: one at the gallery enabling it to function independently from

the main building hours; and two serving the upper floors in the “connector” element between the primary building mass and the elevator core.

▪ The structure of the building is well-suited to multi-story connections and openings. In particular,

this quality enhances the exhibition capability and function of the Art Department. The enclosed program elements, such as seminar rooms, storage rooms, and offices are placed throughout the building in identifiable, colorful volumes. In addition, the surfaces of these volumes can be utilized to exhibit projects or artwork.

▪ The upper levels include a new monumental stair that runs along the north façade on the interior.

This stair invites more interaction between floors which is a very important yet easily over-looked element in a university building. This element allows students and faculty to interact in an informal way, enhancing the quality of the educational experience.

▪ The Art Studio spaces on the upper floors are somewhat interchangeable as program needs change

yearly, with shared or common spaces in the center. The shared spaces in the center of each of the upper floors are designed to accommodate critiques, exhibits or other collegial activity.

▪ This design incorporates faculty offices on the studio floors, easing faculty access to students and

the work areas. Also, seniors and master’s students have flexible capstone work areas, encouraging interaction between those completing advanced studies students of all levels, increasing peer to peer learning.

▪ The Ceramics Studio is located in the Lower Level with a new exterior stair that leads up to the

Work Yard. The stair is pulled away from the façade to allow light and view to the Lower level classrooms. Adjacent to the Work Yard is a loading area for easy movement of materials to both the Sculpture and Ceramics programs.

Lower Level Floor

Ground Floor

5th Floor

6th Floor

7th Floor

THE PROJECT TEAM

HJ DEVELOPMENT Founded by Henry Justin, HJ Development is a New York City based development company with a core mission to promote the “best practice” of commercial and residential life by way of design and quality. As owner and operator of over 15 commercial properties encompassing over 1 million square feet in the Manhattan area, Mr. Justin has extensive experience working with tenants on their office build outs. Historically, maintaining a less than 5% vacancy rate has been the company’s goal and is achieved by its level of service and detail to the nuances of daily tenant life. HJ Development is also well known in the industry as a converter of historic commercial properties to high end residential condominiums. As an owner and general contractor, the company is focused on managing each step from acquisition to construction to owner occupancy. This one-stop approach has enabled the company to build and close over 300 homes. The Plaza is the company’s first acquisition outside of Manhattan, and the team at HJ Development has committed itself to New Britain and will avail its resources to ensure the City’s success. PIRIE ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS Pirie Associates Architects is a dynamic, woman-owned business which was established in 2002 in New Haven. Principal Laura Pirie has over twenty years of experience on a wide variety of projects including extensive adaptive re-use and university projects. She spent 10 years at Cesar Pelli & Associates (now Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects), a world-renowned architecture firm, where she was a senior associate. The size of Pirie Associates’ practice ensures principal-level involvement with every project. Providing high quality design is the goal: this is achieved through drawing-out every client’s core intentions and aspirations and weaving them together with color, materials and shapes, creating places inspired by and suited to the users. The design method, guided by the architect, facilitates a process of collaboration among the project’s owner, users, community-at-large, architect, consultants, contractors and project circumstance, resulting in effective, inspiring, well-designed and well-detailed environments.

PROJECT TEAM

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