Goody Clancy completes design for Rettner Hall at University of Rochester: $12.8 million

Conceived to spur creative collaboration among arts, science and engineering students, the new 19,900 s/f Ronald Rettner Hall for Media Arts and Innovation is advancing into construction at the University of Rochester ([email protected]). Designed by Boston-based architects Goody Clancy, Rettner Hall will become a hub for new academic programs in digital media studies, audio and music engineering, and engineering fabrication. It will provide an environment for all students to combine practical skills in science and technology with theoretical knowledge in a variety of disciplines. Goody Clancy's selection as the center's designer was the result of an invited design competition. The design is based on visual openness and transparency, with the activities and team collaboration inside the facility visible to students passing by and through its Wilson quadrangle location. The building will include space on each floor overlooking the level below to encourage interactive teamwork. Open floor plans and a flexible, adaptable design for all interior spaces will allow for reconfiguration and improvisation for working teams. "The open design will encourage collaboration among different disciplines, enabling our students and faculty to easily cross intellectual borders in unprecedented ways" said Thomas DiPiero, dean for humanities and interdisciplinary studies at the University of Rochester. "One of the reasons Goody Clancy won the design competition was their ability to quickly grasp the vision we had, and their knowledge of how to translate that abstract vision into a practical and thoughtful program." Steven Kleinrock, principal with Goody Clancy and lead designer for the building, said "The environment will provide the tools and resources to teach innovation, and spaces for students to learn from each other as they experience the trial and error lessons that are part of the creative process. The central design idea is to create a fluid network where students feel safe to experiment and take intellectual risks." The three-story facility will feature an engineering fabrication lab where students can plan and build project prototypes, a multipurpose digital learning studio, group study areas, and exhibit space for students to display their projects. Available technology and specialty spaces include sound and video recording studios and the latest tools for 3-D computer software and fabrication equipment capable of converting digital designs into manufactured models, exhibits and prototypes. In addition to fostering new methods for learning and teaching, the new building will serve as a vital connection point on the campus. It will connect the upper Eastman quadrangle with the lower Wilson quadrangle, with students walking through the building and down a new connecting stairway offering a full view of the activities inside. The building is named for new university trustee and philanthropist Ronald Rettner who provided the lead gift that is enabling the university to begin construction. The Ronald Rettner Hall for Media Arts and Innovation will be located on the River Campus between Wilson Commons and Morey Hall and will be open 24 hours a day. The project, expected to be complete in September of 2013, will also include several renovations to the adjacent Morey Hall. Total cost for the project is $12.8 million. Based in Boston, Massachusetts and working nationally, Goody Clancy is an interdisciplinary firm of 65 architects, preservationists, planners and urban designers focused on combining humanitarian purpose with visual distinction. The diverse work of the firm has been honored for both its design excellence and its social responsibility with more than one hundred design awards, including six national AIA Honor awards. The University of Rochester is one of the nation's leading private universities. The University gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by its Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.