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The Board of Trustees of the School desired to construct a student center that would enhance student life at this 9th -12th grade boarding school on Narragansett Bay in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, USA by transforming an inwardly-focused learning experience of solitary scholarship to an outwardly-facing learning experience of collaborative scholarship. To achieve this, we conceived the student center as an open, welcoming ‘porch to the world’ overlooking the Bay and the world beyond and offering a multi-formatted flexible commons for collaborative work and study. Fulfilling the campus masterplan, the student center is located at the head of Ravens Quad, a campus crossroads, set between the original monastic-like campus designed by Pietro Belluschi in 1964 and Narragansett Bay.
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Portsmouth Abbey School campus was designed by Pietro Belluschi in 1964 with a strong thematic language of timber-framed buildings clad in board and batten wood siding and capped with distinctively shaped copper roofs. Set within this context, the new 8,000 square foot student center reinterprets Belluschi’s iconic architectural language while providing innovative sustainable solutions that address its Bay setting. A copper brise soleil wraps the glazed top of the commons referencing the other campus copper roofs while controlling heat gain. The broad overreaching pergola is inspired by the overhanging soffits on the original buildings. An exposed timber framed structure supports the enclosure while providing a warm and comfortable environment overlooking the Bay.
The student center integrates sustainable strategies within the architectural solution which draw from the original Belluschi campus. The copper rooftop of the student center is a brise soleil that diffuses south and west facing sunlight, rejects heat gain, and allows interior lighting to remain off during the day. The broad overhanging pergola keeps the terrace and area around the building cool. Low and high operable windows capture Bay breezes to naturally ventilate the building during temperate seasons. The heavy timber structure is a renewable resource that stores carbon and has a low carbon footprint. Additionally, the exposed wood’s natural beauty has a warm aesthetic that has a biophilic effect on people, improving their overall mood, productivity, and well-being.
The 8,000 square foot student center at Portsmouth Abbey School in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, USA reinterprets the strong iconic architectural language of Pietro Belluschi, who originally designed the campus, while providing innovative sustainable solutions and addressing the Narragansett Bay siting. A timber framed two story glass enclosed commons recalls the exposed wood structures of the original campus. A pre-patinated copper brise soleil at the top of the commons references the distinctive copper roofs of the original campus while controlling heat gain and solar glare. A perforated aluminum pergola covers an outdoor terrace facing the Bay. The long broad reach of the overhead pergola references the deep overhangs of the original campus buildings.
Internally the student center houses a flexible multi-format commons for casual work and study, presentations, meetings and school dances. Group study rooms give students a place on campus to work collaboratively on assignments. The copper screen and pergola that wrap these spaces internally create dappled diffused sunlight throughout the space resulting in an ephemeral environment of inspiration and delight like the sacred space of the campus chapel. The student center has positively impacted the school by providing an inspirational space for gathering, collaborative work, discovery, and it prepares students to lead lives of public action, fulfilling the school’s mission.
“The building has already become a marquee piece of the campus architecture; it extends an invitation for all who enter the campus to enjoy its views and many benefits. The beauty and grandeur of the building speak for themselves, but if one were to offer some words on behalf of this project, they might be “Welcome to Portsmouth Abbey. This is our front porch to the world.”” Matt Walter – Head of School
ikon.5 architects is a 30-person architectural design practice based in New York City which crafts artistic works to explore ideas rooted in the ethos and heritage of the places we work. The work is rooted in our belief that architecture is storytelling in built form and landscape. Architecture tells the story of the values of a particular people in their place and time. Our solutions reflect the regional traditions in which we build and seek a timeless expression that reflects our clients’ stories. Our work is a-stylistic, inspired by thoughtful, economic, and sustainable solutions and is committed to design excellence, social impact, and environmental responsiveness.
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