Centre for Digital Media by MCM Partnership

Project: Centre for Digital Media
Location: Vancouver, BC
Designed by MCM Partnership
Website: www.mcmparchitects.com
MCM Partnership design a project set to house Masters of Digital Media in Vancouver, for more images and architects description continue after the jump.

This new building will house the Masters of Digital Media (MDM) Program and provide accommodations for those enrolled in the program. The design of this building is a vessel for emerging technology set within an industrial context of the Great Northern Way campus. Figure 10 diagrams the strategy of the building concept as a technology ribbon around the program uses. Inspired by two themes or dialogues – technology and regionalism. This building seeks to express the program through a weaving and folding gesture in the architecture. The program is stacked with academic/retail at the ground floor and three levels of student housing above. A singular ribbon, folding and bending, collects these uses to engage the street as the catalyst marker on the site. The wrapping gesture is directional to reflect the orientation of the student housing and to minimize solar heat gain on the east and west elevations. The folds cascade down the facade opening itself and presenting the lobby entry at the west corner of the building. The exterior wrap symbolizes industry and is expressed in the metal; the interior wrap symbolizes Regionalism and is expressed in the use of wood.