The Alvah H. Chapman Jr. Graduate School of Business at Florida International University in Miami infuses a modern facility for learning with communal spaces that embrace the hot climate.
The phased design creates two distinct communities—one for students, another for faculty—linked by proximity, formal expression, and materials. Phase One houses classrooms, administrative offices, a multipurpose facility, a 300-seat auditorium, and student support spaces. Phase Two contains academic centers and faculty offices. The buildings are wrapped in precast concrete panels, which are sandblasted to create texture and pattern, while the courtyards are finished in vividly colored stucco, a palette inspired by pre-Columbian art to honor the cultural heritage of the largely Latino and Hispanic student body.
The first of the two interlocking courtyards is anchored by a grand staircase, which provides an informal gathering place for students and faculty. Classrooms are accessed through an open-air arcade, taking advantage of Miami’s subtropical climate. The second courtyard, delineated by a water basin, forms an enclave for faculty offices.
Oriented to optimize and capture the prevailing winds from the west, the buildings are sliced at their corners to temper and ventilate the landscaped interior courtyards. In conjunction with water basins and dense plantings, the breezeways ensure that the courtyards are comfortable, even during the hottest hours of the day.
