Cambridge, MA – In times of economic distress, many institutions opt to shelve projects and wait out the storm. Architecture firm Lerner Ladds + Bartels, along with the client Brown University and builder Shawmut Design and Construction, will be
presenting at the SCUP 2010 North Atlantic Regional Conference on March 25th.
The presentation which will be held at MIT in Cambridge is entitled “Stretching Economic Resources: Finding Synergies and Opportunities Through Adaptive Reuse.” It will focus on a case study of the J. Walter Wilson building
to review the challenges and solutions that led to successful and positive results for the building and for Brown University as a whole. It will explore how the university adapted to depleted financial and staffing resources, embraced their
existing campus buildings, and found new ways to solve multiple campus issues through adaptive reuse.
Chris Ladds, Principal Architect at Lerner Ladds + Bartels, will lead the discussion on the architectural and structural obstacles.
Michael McCormick, Assistance Vice Presidenct of Facilities Management at Brown University, will bring the owner’s perspective and his nine years at Brown University to lay the ground work for the challenge the school faced with a
number of buildings.
Ron Simoneau, Managing Director at Shawmut Design and Construction will focus on how the construction team managed a multi–track schedule while working within a city campus, accommodating university academic hours, traffic, safety, pedestrian
re-routing, and complex logistics.
The combined perspectives of architect, owner, and construction manager provide a comprehensive look at a new approach to adaptive reuse by creating something from nothing and gaining campus–wide economic savings rather than building savings. The conference program committee boasted that “with the cross section of presenters and the learning outcomes, this one will exceed expectations.” Those learning outcomes are:
• Assess campus needs, question assumptions, and move projects forward in the face of a new economic reality
• Analyze the benefits of renovation and adaptive reuse of existing buildings versus new construction
• Solve gaps in staffing and funding resources through a new form of design/build, customized to suit needs of the institution
• Sequence projects and phases to maximize whole campus savings