Rotating Towards Creation

This project, which is located in the arboretum on Penn State’s campus, is intended to be a destination point for the arboretum while also bringing students out to this area for classes. As a result, I set out to design a structure that embraces all directions and interacts directly with the landscape.

Students and guests to the campus visit the arboretum. It is home to a number of gardens and can be approached from a variety of directions. As a result, I designed a circular structure with two entrances and a outdoor deck.

The building is designed in such a way that there is a transition between areas that are quite low in light, such as the planetarium, to places that require or benefit from light, such as the conservatory. It can be accessed by an inner central hallway that also serves as a ramp for access to higher floors.