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.
Courtesy 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.
Courtesy Williams College.
Courtesy Williams College.
Courtesy Williams College.
Courtesy Williams College.
Courtesy Williams College.
Courtesy Williams College.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Nov 18, 2016
Stephen F. Austin State University’s new STEM building breaks ground
Kirksey Architecture designed the building that ‘will serve as a landmark for SFA.’
University Buildings | Oct 25, 2016
Columbia University dedicates its new campus with great fanfare
Transparency to the surrounding community played a big role in the campus’s design.
School Construction | Oct 23, 2016
As construction rebounds, education sector spending flattens
Post-recession slump suggests a settling in at a “normal” level similar to the mid aughts.
University Buildings | Oct 19, 2016
UC Merced to nearly double its size by 2020
Its growth strategy includes adding 1.2 million sf of space for teaching, housing, and research.
University Buildings | Oct 12, 2016
The new Hancher Auditorium opens on University of Iowa campus
The building replaces the previous Hancher, which was irreparably damaged in the 2008 flood.
University Buildings | Oct 11, 2016
The University of Iowa gets a new Visual Arts Building
The building was a collaborative effort between BNIM and Steven Holl Architects and marks the sixth facility the two firms have worked together on
Sponsored | University Buildings | Oct 3, 2016
Enhancing university life: The smart shower bead
Residential spaces that need to meet high traffic demands while accommodating an ever-changing populace creates a unique set of obstacles for any educational institution’s housing.
Sponsored | University Buildings | Sep 29, 2016
UWM’s Kenwood Interdisciplinary Research Complex: The most distinctive building on campus
The largest building on campus, it was designed by Flad Architects to comply with LEED Gold Certification standards and to meet a wide range of current and future academic needs.
University Buildings | Sep 12, 2016
The University of Chicago’s newest residence halls are designed to be more like home
Abundant common spaces give students more chances to interact.
University Buildings | Aug 17, 2016
Supporting communities of motivated learners: reflections on SCUP-51
The two themes that were consistently woven into different topics were institutional transformation and connection with students.
