Thes is project

Educational institutions, by the effects of Globalization and consumerism have altered their methodologies. The new vision for education demands spaces that are fit for new development, flexibility and transitoriness in opposition to conventional spaces for learning.To resolve the problem I proposed an alternate way of learning made for education in the consumeristic era. Creating a retrofit to ad educa-tional institution that needs it; Interamerican University Metro Campus. Working with their traditional and remanent spaces and transforming them to new spaces fit for the changing need of the consumeristic society.

Problem

ConceptRetrofit : To modify or adapt an object with new parts transforming it to work better with a new purpose in mind. In abstract one object overtakes the other, breaking the old all together to transform or modify it radically. When this process is done the old object will have become a new one that works in a more versatile manner than before.

SiteInteramerican University; Metro CampusSan Juan, Puerto Rico

Building ProgramApplied Arts and Design Department, Administrative Building, Commercial Building, Student Housing Building and other recreational spaces.Currently the Interamerican University does not have a Design and Applied Arts program, but they have a music and arts program and they where interested in someday opening one. I took this premise and re-organized their campus to fit in with the all around project of my thesis. This campus was the perfect site, not only because they where interested in opening that department but because their campus lacks continuity and spatiality. The campus basically is just the main building, witch is composed only of inward spaces with typical classrooms and offices, and with other small buildings only connected by parking lots.

Site Analisys

Commercial

Uniiversity

Green

Parking

Street

Cupey, San JuanJu

Commercial

Uniiversity

Green

Parking

Street

Cupey, San JuanJu

Site Pictures

Strategies

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Dismantle or break apart the building so its not completely closed up to the outside.

Create in exterior interior in between spaces to provide a new experience for the students.

Connect different zones in the campus that don’t have a spacial relation between one another but the students have direct connections between them.

Create a new image for the University.

Merchandising and publicity, take advantage of walls that have exposure to the highway and are not being used.

Take advantage of unused and remanent spaces by adding a roof covering and other pieces to create to spaces of leisure for the students.