New Architecture School
As a fictive finger-exercise , after appointed as the founding director of this school , part of the Florida Atlantic University in Fort Lauderdale , I ventured to answer my self-imposed question , what should be the locus for the education of architects ? In reality , there was intent to build such a building , with public / private money , containing additional offices for different , university related spaces . After several site-related investigations , my personal memories of the African “ Teaching-Tree ” offered the beginnings of the solution , with massive trunk and branches above . This simplistic image was enriched by the application of two major forces in taming gravity , the tensional and compressive structures . In-between these I proposed a “ neutral ” space , an elevated public plaza , which separated the architectural school below , and the other functions above . All spaces were surrounded by a narrow walkway , which enabled the simple operation of the wooden louvers , protecting the openable glass walls . The studios and other areas formed a square-shaped ring around the cylindrical shaft of the vertical circulation . The remaining triangular areas were open above so the vertical airflow and the openable internal windows enabled the use of natural cross-ventilation of the spaces .
Dr . Peter Magyar , FRIBA , AHA , SZIMA Professor Emeritus
© Dr . Peter Magyar