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Gallaudet University
Clerc Residence Hall
Washington , DC
Completion: 2009
Size: 60,000 GSF
Cost: N/A
In an effort to create a more deaf-friendly environment for its
students, Gallaudet has retained Ayers/Saint/Gross to design a state
of the art “ Deaf
Building”. This building will emerge from a thoughtful renovation
of an existing dormitory, originally built in 1970. The renovation
of Clerc Hall is expected to improve the experience of student life
within the facility and extend the useful life of the outdated building.
Utilizing the principles of Visu-Centric Design, the ASG team will
transform the existing dormitory and infuse it with a more appropriate
strategy for catering to deaf lighting, material, formal and spatial
needs. Clerc Hall is set to become the first Visu-Centric residence
hall on Gallaudet’s
campus.
Ayers/Saint/Gross has learned through research and interaction with
the Gallaudet stakeholders, that deaf culture is largely centered around
language and community. American Sign Language ( ASL) is the primary
language on campus, which requires that spaces facilitate a visual connection
between all participants in a conversation. As such, the design of the
built environment at Gallaudet should embody a sense of visual and spatial
openness to allow for ease of communication among the deaf. The deaf
experience at home is critical to this project. As such, ASG will be
particularly concerned with crafting an aesthetically and functionally
rich student living environment.
Clerc Hall is composed of a basement, entry level, mezzanine, and seven
residential levels which will house 120 students. A specific example
of ASG’s incorporation of deaf needs into the existing building
is the tactical reduction of stairs and manual doors. This move would
allow for conversations using ASL to continue uninterrupted. Generally,
the design will focus on making the public space on the entry level open,
inviting and community oriented. Natural lighting and views to the other
built and natural context surrounding the building will be achieved through
strategic cuts into the existing building envelope. Flexible meeting
spaces and lounge areas will occur on the basement and entry levels,
while double height lounges will occur on every other residential floor
to encourage student interaction between multiple levels.
Study Completion: 2005 |  |
