Wednesday, July 30, 2014

DAAP at UC - The Aronoff Center for Design and Art



The University of Cincinnati's DAAP Building, also known as the Aronoff Center for Design and Art, has recently undergone several architectural upgrades and surface renovations - primarily a re-cladding of it's exterior.

These photographs, taken this Summer of 2014, showcase the exterior upgrades.


The building, designed by architect Peter Eisenman and constructed in 1996, is now coated with aluminum paneling, which retains the pastel colored look of the original design - but provides a more durable method of water-sealing and protection.


Eisenman's objective when designing the Aronoff Center for Design and Art was to combine the existing DAAP buildings, constructed in the 1950s and 70s, and to expand the facility.  The site presented several issues, as the landscape did not present much room for additions.  


The solution, presented by Eisenman, was to place much of the structure underground, work with the challenging landscape, and wrap the additions around the existing buildings - creating one uniformly connected facility in a non-uniform landscape.  The result is the university's most free-flowing and formless building, a testament to the creativity and design potential of the college's students.


UC's College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning is home to several nationally top-ranked programs, including their Industrial Design, Interior Design, and Architectural programs.  This $10m investment by the University of Cincinnati ensures the lasting future for these strong programs.