flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Williams College bookstore is a LEED Platinum space for more than just books

University Buildings

Williams College bookstore is a LEED Platinum space for more than just books

CambridgeSeven designed the campus bookstore.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | May 3, 2018
Williams College bookstore exterior at night

Courtesy Williams College

The new Williams College campus bookstore includes everything you’d expect in a college bookstore plus a coffee shop, a dedicated area that can be sanctioned off for events and special talks, indoor/outdoor leisure spaces for the community, and a sustainable design that earned LEED Platinum designation.

The CambridgeSeven-designed building used local materials such as granite and bricks for the building’s exterior. A glazing to wall ratio of 24%, insulated glass with integral wood louvers, and an exterior brise soleil for enhanced thermal protection help the building achieve an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) rating of 39. The thicker than average, tightly sealed, insulated walls also help the bookstore achieve the EUI that is 41% better than baseline.

 

Williams College bookstore exteriorCourtesy Williams College.

 

A stormwater management system helps keep stormwater runoff equal to the pre-development levels. This system includes a rain garden, deep sump catch basins, and underground detention to capture stormwater from roofs and new paving before it runs off the site.

 

See Also: Best in library design 2018: Six projects earn AIA/ALA library awards

 

The building does not use any gas, only electricity. As such, the PV array on the roof was designed to form a dynamic part of the building’s presence on Spring Street.

Other features include birch plywood ceilings and fabric paneled hidden doors to section off the café space for programming. In addition to the building design, CambridgeSeven also designed the building’s furniture and finishes.

 

Williams College bookstore cafeCourtesy Williams College.

 

Williams College bookstore interiorCourtesy Williams College.

 

Williams College bookstore staircaseCourtesy Williams College.

 

Williams College bookstore upper levelCourtesy Williams College.

 

Williams College bookstore book stacksCourtesy Williams College.

 

Williams College bookstore outdoor terraceCourtesy Williams College.

Related Stories

Giants 400 | Aug 28, 2020

2020 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms

The 2020 Giants 400 Report features more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.

University Buildings | Aug 27, 2020

Eight strategies for achieving successful P3 development models

Transparency and communication are imperative, says new white paper on these agreements.

University Buildings | Aug 20, 2020

Student housing in the COVID-19 era

Student housing remains a vital part of the student and campus experience.

University Buildings | Aug 3, 2020

5 reasons universities are renovating student housing

Clark Nexsen’s Student Life practice leader, Peter Aranyi, discusses the benefits of renovation and why it offers particular value to campuses nationwide.

University Buildings | Aug 2, 2020

R&D hubs, modular-built hotels, and an award-winning student center on the August 6 “The Weekly”

R&D hubs, modular-built hotels, and an award-winning student center on the August 6 “The Weekly”

University Buildings | Jul 24, 2020

A hybrid learning approach could redefine higher education

Universities reassess current assets to determine growth strategies.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021