In Pasadena, Calif., a former supersonic wind tunnel has been transformed into a new educational facility: the Mullin Transportation Design Center (MTDC) at ArtCenter College of Design.Â
Designed by Darin Johnstone Architects (DJA) and built by Del Amo Construction, the MTDC supports ArtCenterâs transportation design programâknown for the design of the split-window Corvette, the modern Mini, and the Ferrari F-430. The building provides access for full-scale vehicular models, replicating a professional design studio environment.
Almost doubling the wind tunnelâs effective square footage, DJAâs design converts the barrel-vaulted, 43-ft-high space to hold 31,000 sf of specialized creative labs, large-scale makerspaces, classrooms, exhibition areas, studios, and offices. The vehicle-intensive spaces facilitate design, research, and experimentation.Â
MTDC includes a 1,533-sf flex lecture space; three creative labs totaling 7,000sf; five 1,100-sf undergraduate studio classrooms; three graduate studio classrooms ranging from 1,100 to 1,600 sf; three 550-sf general conference rooms; 1,000 sf of administrative spaces; and about 10,700 sf of galleries and exhibition areas as well as informal gathering areas and circulation space.
Large-scale design projects can be showcased in the new gallery and exhibition spaces as well as a hovering mezzanine. The hovering elements nod to the buildingâs aeronautic history. MTDC also was designed to serve as a pedestrian passthrough and focal point connecting all of the buildings on ArtCenterâs South Campus.
Originally, the 85-ft by 220-ft MTDC space was home to a supersonic wind tunnel commissioned in 1945 and operated by Caltech as a testing facility for aerospace manufacturers. In 1953, it became a testing facility for General Motorsâ automobile designs. Other testing followed for missiles, torpedoes, and parachutes, among other objects.
Adjacent to the wind tunnel space, a portion of the building was renovated to hold the recently completed, DJA-designed Mobility Experience Lab by Genesis, Hyundai & Kia. Dedicated to research and design, the 3,400-sf lab explores the user experience.
MTDC is on track to achieve LEED certification.
On the Building Team:Â
Architect: Darin Johnstone ArchitectsÂ
Structural engineer: Labib Funk + AssociatesÂ
MEP engineer: Novus Design StudioÂ
Lighting designer: KGM LightingÂ
Acoustical engineer: Antonio AcousticsÂ
General contractor: Del Amo Construction
Related Stories
Education Facilities | Jun 6, 2024
Studio Gang designs agricultural education center for the New York City Housing Authority
Earlier this month, the City of New York broke ground on the new $18.2 million Marlboro Agricultural Education Center (MAEC) at the New York City Housing Authorityâs Marlboro Houses in Brooklyn. In line with the mission of its nonprofit operator, The Campaign Against Hunger, MAEC aims to strengthen food autonomy and security in underserved neighborhoods. MAEC will provide Marlboro Houses with diverse, community-oriented programs.
Mass Timber | May 31, 2024
Mass timber a big part of Western Washington Universityâs net-zero ambitions
Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Wash., 90 miles from Seattle, is in the process of expanding its ABET-accredited programs for electrical engineering, computer engineering and science, and energy science. As part of that process, the university is building Kaiser Borsari Hall, the 54,000-sf new home for those academic disciplines that will include teaching labs, research labs, classrooms, collaborative spaces, and administrative offices.
University Buildings | May 30, 2024
Washington University School of Medicine opens one of the worldâs largest neuroscience research buildings
In St. Louisâ Cortex Innovation District, Washington University School of Medicine recently opened its new Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building. Designed by CannonDesign and Perkins&Will, the 11-story, 609,000-sf facility is one of the largest neuroscience buildings in the world.
K-12 Schools | May 15, 2024
A new Alabama high school supports hands-on, collaborative, and diverse learning
In Gulf Shores, a city on Alabamaâs Gulf Coast, a new $137 million high school broke ground in late April and is expected to open in the fall of 2026. Designed by DLR Group and Goodwyn Mills Cawood, the 287,000-sf Gulf Shores High School will offer cutting-edge facilities and hands-on learning opportunities.
University Buildings | May 10, 2024
UNC Chapel Hillâs new medical education building offers seminar rooms and midsize classroomsâand notably, no lecture halls
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has unveiled a new medical education building, Roper Hall. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) and Flad Architects, the UNC School of Medicineâs new building intends to train new generations of physicians through dynamic and active modes of learning.
K-12 Schools | May 7, 2024
World's first K-12 school to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum
A new K-12 school in Washington, D.C., is the first school in the world to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum, according to its architect, Perkins Eastman. The John Lewis Elementary School is also the first school in the District of Columbia designed to achieve net-zero energy (NZE).Â
K-12 Schools | Apr 30, 2024
Fully electric Oregon elementary school aims for resilience with microgrid design
The River Grove Elementary School in Oregon was designed for net-zero carbon and resiliency to seismic events, storms, and wildfire. The roughly 82,000-sf school in a Portland suburb will feature a microgridâa small-scale power grid that operates independently from the areaâs electric grid.Â
Mass Timber | Apr 25, 2024
Bjarke Ingels Group designs a mass timber cube structure for the University of Kansas
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and executive architect BNIM have unveiled their design for a new mass timber cube structure called the Makersâ KUbe for the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design. A six-story, 50,000-sf building for learning and collaboration, the light-filled KUbe will house studio and teaching space, 3D-printing and robotic labs, and a ground-level cafe, all organized around a central core.
ProConnect Events | Apr 23, 2024
5 more ProConnect events scheduled for 2024, including all-new 'AEC Giants'
SGC Horizon present 7 ProConnect events in 2024.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 16, 2024
Mexicoâs âpremier private academic health centerâ under design
The design and construction contract for what is envisioned to be âthe premier private academic health center in Mexico and Latin Americaâ was recently awarded to The Beck Group. The TecSalud Health Sciences Campus will be located at Tec De Monterreyâs flagship healthcare facility, Zambrano Hellion Hospital, in Monterrey, Mexico.
