Institutional Architecture
Georgia State University College of Law / Institutional Architecture An Invaluable Partnership with the City The Georgia State College of Law’s 200,000-sf new building occupies an extremely prominent site in the heart of downtown Atlanta and establishes the University’s unique partnership with the city. The Law School is designed to be a resource for urban Atlanta, as well as an instructional tool to develop core competencies and increase student learning outcomes. Beyond classwork, students learn by doing through clinical programs, extensive outreach programming, simulation, and partnerships. The facility is designed to build a community of learning that fosters these connections and creates spaces where new skills for the practice of modern law can develop.
Materials that Inspire and Promote Learning The building’s exterior utilizes a palette of materials matched to the program elements and exterior context. Local Alabama limestone set in a rain screen system clads the instruction program, and is placed strategically on the building to reduce heat gain in the southern sun. The panels were selected for size and scale to match the historic Candler building to the west. A glass curtain wall system encloses the leadership/office areas to the north, allowing indirect light to filter into the work spaces. The glass façade corresponds to the tight glass and granite skin of the neighboring Georgia Pacific building. A frit glass curtain wall system and zinc metal panels clad the scholarship/library program on the upper floor. The 40% frit glass and large metal sun shade, combine to maximize daylighting within the library block while reducing solar heat gain. The library volume is on axis with Woodruff Park, creating a dynamic relationship with the park and views over downtown Atlanta.
Student-Centric Programming The Law School was designed for advanced learning, research, and collaboration. The design team created a student-centric environment built around instructional space. Classrooms include a wide range of environments for various class sizes and pedagogies, and were placed on the first three floors of the building for access to the main space, breakout and open study areas; and faculty offices.
Dynamic, Active Learning Environments Considered the social heart of the law school, the law library is an example of an experimental collaborative learning and research environment. Ninety percent of the library collection is housed in zones of high-density compact storage, allowing more room for student program space and resources. The library is designed for advanced research and study, and contains spaces for instruction and group work, a café, active learning areas, two outdoor terraces, resources, and IT support. A wide variety of seating configurations allow students to work individually or in groups and to adjust their tools and furnishings in places for customized work environments.
DOWNTOWN ATLANTA
PARK PLACE FACADE LIBRARY TERRACE
WOODRUFF PARK
CANDLER BUILDING
GEORGIA PACIFIC TOWER
PARK PLACE FACADE
PROGRAM
Scholarship
Instruction
Leadership
Community
LIMESTONE FACADE DETAIL PEACHTREE CENTER AVENUE FACADE
MATERIAL Zinc Clear Glass
Limestone Frit Glass
CLINICS
CLINICS
FACULTY OFFICES
MAIN ENTRY
EVENTS
STUDENT COMMONS
SKILLS TRAINING SUITE
Lower level
Level 1
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION CENTER
Levels 2-3
READING TERRACE
ACTIVE LEARNING CAFE AND TERRACE
MAIN READING ROOM
RESEARCH CENTERS
Level 4 Partnerships and outreach Library Faculty
Classrooms Administrative Internal community space
Level 5
JOURNALS
Level 6
LEARNING ON DISPLAY
FLEXIBLE FURNITURE GROUP STUDY
TIERED SEATING STUDENT COMMONS
CARRELS
LAW LIBRARY
GRAND READING ROOM
ENCLOSED GROUP STUDY ROOMS
ACTIVE LEARNING/CAFE
READING TERRACE
“The new building … promises us the facility, the design, the focus on student needs, and the partnership opportunities to deliver on these goals on a grander scale—to be bold, to show the country what is truly possible with legal education when you have the tools, the wherewithal, and when you are located within a vibrant, supportive urban center.” Steven Kaminshine, Dean Georgia State University College of Law
Materials that Inspire and Promote Learning The building’s exterior utilizes a palette of materials matched to the program elements and exterior context. Local Alabama limestone set in a rain screen system clads the instruction program, and is placed strategically on the building to reduce heat gain in the southern sun. The panels were selected for size and scale to match the historic Candler building to the west. A glass curtain wall system encloses the leadership/office areas to the north, allowing indirect light to filter into the work spaces. The glass façade corresponds to the tight glass and granite skin of the neighboring Georgia Pacific building. A frit glass curtain wall system and zinc metal panels clad the scholarship/library program on the upper floor. The 40% frit glass and large metal sun shade, combine to maximize daylighting within the library block while reducing solar heat gain. The library volume is on axis with Woodruff Park, creating a dynamic relationship with the park and views over downtown Atlanta.
Student-Centric Programming The Law School was designed for advanced learning, research, and collaboration. The design team created a student-centric environment built around instructional space. Classrooms include a wide range of environments for various class sizes and pedagogies, and were placed on the first three floors of the building for access to the main space, breakout and open study areas; and faculty offices.
Dynamic, Active Learning Environments Considered the social heart of the law school, the law library is an example of an experimental collaborative learning and research environment. Ninety percent of the library collection is housed in zones of high-density compact storage, allowing more room for student program space and resources. The library is designed for advanced research and study, and contains spaces for instruction and group work, a café, active learning areas, two outdoor terraces, resources, and IT support. A wide variety of seating configurations allow students to work individually or in groups and to adjust their tools and furnishings in places for customized work environments.
DOWNTOWN ATLANTA
PARK PLACE FACADE LIBRARY TERRACE
WOODRUFF PARK
CANDLER BUILDING
GEORGIA PACIFIC TOWER
PARK PLACE FACADE
PROGRAM
Scholarship
Instruction
Leadership
Community
LIMESTONE FACADE DETAIL PEACHTREE CENTER AVENUE FACADE
MATERIAL Zinc Clear Glass
Limestone Frit Glass
CLINICS
CLINICS
FACULTY OFFICES
MAIN ENTRY
EVENTS
STUDENT COMMONS
SKILLS TRAINING SUITE
Lower level
Level 1
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION CENTER
Levels 2-3
READING TERRACE
ACTIVE LEARNING CAFE AND TERRACE
MAIN READING ROOM
RESEARCH CENTERS
Level 4 Partnerships and outreach Library Faculty
Classrooms Administrative Internal community space
Level 5
JOURNALS
Level 6
LEARNING ON DISPLAY
FLEXIBLE FURNITURE GROUP STUDY
TIERED SEATING STUDENT COMMONS
CARRELS
LAW LIBRARY
GRAND READING ROOM
ENCLOSED GROUP STUDY ROOMS
ACTIVE LEARNING/CAFE
READING TERRACE
“The new building … promises us the facility, the design, the focus on student needs, and the partnership opportunities to deliver on these goals on a grander scale—to be bold, to show the country what is truly possible with legal education when you have the tools, the wherewithal, and when you are located within a vibrant, supportive urban center.” Steven Kaminshine, Dean Georgia State University College of Law
