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Stanford University 

Art Building Planning Study

Unifying facilities for art history, art practice, and film programs

Stanford University sought to unite the making and studying of art under one roof with a new building to house the Art and Art History Departments and a joint library. While related, studio art and art history differ in their facilities needs. MKThink cataloged the usage of existing facilities and engaged with key stakeholders to develop a unified vision for the building that addressed each department’s needs while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. MKThink translated the vision for the building into an organizational framework, which served as the basis for the $87 million, 100,000 SF McMurty Art Building, designed by Diller, Scofidio + Renfro and completed in 2015. 

BREAKDOWN:

DATE: 2008-2009
CITY: Stanford
STATE: California
SIZE/SCALE:  96,000 SF
MARKET: Higher Education
SERVICES: Master Planning, Strategic Planning, Visioning,
Utilization, and Occupancy.

PROJECT:

CHALLENGE: To unite the making and studying of art under one roof with a new building to house the Art and Art History Departments and joint library. 
APPROACH: MKThink cataloged the usage of existing facilities and engaged with key stakeholders to develop a unified vision for the building that addressed each department’s needs while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. MKThink translated the vision for the building into an organizational framework.
RESULT: Art history students work alongside students practicing fine arts for the first time in Stanford's history. Additionally, studio art courses have seen a 35% increase.
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