Our Building
Opened in 1974, the Art and Architecture Building includes a range of excellent facilities, including generous studio space, galleries, classrooms, well–equipped laboratories, a 150-seat lecture hall, conference and seminar rooms, faculty and administrative offices and extensive workshops arranged around a central courtyard. The design studio, three-fourths of an acre in area, is the largest in the country. The building conforms to all barrier-free design regulations, and handicapped parking is available. Computer access is widely available and distributed throughout the building.
Located on the third floor, the architecture/planning studio offers 30,000 square feet of continuous workspace and is the largest academic studio in the world. The large, open plan is configured with modular workplaces for each student electing a studio course. All tables and storage units are movable in order to permit easy adaptation to a variety of class sizes, projects, and methods of instruction. Seminar rooms and flexible design review spaces are located at each end of the studio.
Architecture and urban planning education require collaboration, design and build spaces. The Taubman Wing and renovation provides additional studio space and areas for group projects and collaboration: eight capstone rooms, three meeting rooms, two lounges, a reading room and a 5,700-square-foot commons. The commons also host conferences, final reviews and other special events.
The interior space of the addition is organized by a series of spiral-like stairs and ramps that create perambulatory sequences designed to create encounters between faculty and students. Externally, a saw-tooth roof reflects warm light, unifying the orthogonal geometry of the studio with the hexagonal, ramped commons. An exterior plaza links the new building with the existing one, providing an outside gathering space to foster community. Structural improvements, including an updated HVAC system and a new roof, upgrade the existing building.
Building Policies and Culture
As a shared space, we have many combined building policies and services. Taubman College occupies the south side of the building, which includes studio spaces on the third floor, in addition to the SAND Lab and FABLab. Art & Design occupies the north side of the building. The courtyard and campus computing site are two examples of shared and communal space.
Access
The building is open and unlocked during fall and winter terms from 7 AM–10 PM weekdays; 7 AM–7 PM weekends. After hours, members of the Art & Architecture community can use their MCard at the six main building entrances to access the building.
Safety
- First-aid kits, located at either end of the third floor, across from the Media Center, and in the Dean's office, are supplied to treat minor cuts and injuries. Send an email to aaaservices@umich.edu if they need replenishing. Report any serious injuries to the Dean's Office and seek treatment at the University Hospital. In case of emergency, contact 911.
- Public Safety can be reached at 734.763.1131 (3-1131 from campus phones). Please report any suspicious or threatening behavior to Public Safety. Use smart decision-making related to your personal safety.
- In case of severe weather, proceed to the first-floor southwest corridor. In the case of fire, exit the building immediately. Evacuation plans are posted on each of the bottom and top-floor stairwells.
Lockers
The building has lockers available for Taubman College student, faculty, and staff storage, located on the first floor south hallway. Registration is not required; simply place a lock on a locker of your choosing. Lockers must be vacated prior to the end of the academic year. The locker is college property and standards of maintenance must be adhered to.
Rules for using lockers:
- You are responsible for maintaining the interior and exterior of your locker in good condition. You may not damage the paint, drill holes in the locker, paint it, wallpaper it, etc.
- The locker may not be used to store dangerous materials, substances, or weapons.
- The locker may not be used to store food.
- Please, no writing or posting on the outside of your locker.
- You must remove all items by the posted date at the end of the academic year (beginning of May). There is absolutely no storage permitted in lockers over the spring/summer recess.
- Materials remaining in your locker after the posted clean out date will be removed and disposed of.
- You must be a member of the Art & Architecture community.
Lost and Found
Contact the Taubman College Facilities Supervisor, Nick Carlson, Room 2105 (office hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.), nicholca@umich.edu, or 734.763.3132.
Studio Policies and Culture
Taubman College is committed to a positive and respectful learning environment by encouraging the fundamental values of optimism, respect, sharing, engagement, and innovation between and among the members of its faculty, student body, administration, and staff. Key to a healthy and productive learning environment is the establishment of an efficient daily routine that balances the well-being of the individual student with high academic standards. Taubman College encourages students and faculty to appreciate these values as guiding principles of professional conduct throughout their careers. Personal and equipment security is everyone's responsibility. Respect the place and clean up after yourself.
Furniture and desk keys
Each student is provided with a desk and chair. Each desk has three locking drawers, one of which uses a key. Keys are available from the Facilities Office (Room 2105, 734.763.3132) between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.; a refundable $20 deposit is required. Bring Student I.D. and key number (normally located inside the locking cabinet). Students are advised to secure personal possessions and valuable equipment in locked drawers whenever leaving the desk area, including overnight, weekends, or during break periods. Do not bring additional furniture into the studio nor remove the existing furniture from the studio for any purpose. Under no circumstances are the desk and credenzas to be either disassembled or have additional components attached. Use a protective surface, such as a cutting mat, when cutting materials at the desk. Please contact the facilities office for light bulb replacement or other issues related to the functioning of the desks and chairs. Please post your name in a clearly visible location on your desk. At the end of each term remove all materials from your desk and surrounding area.
Per fire code, a clear circulation corridor through and around each studio must be maintained at all times. These 'corridors' are marked by swatches of orange paint on the floors. DO NOT OCCUPY THESE ZONES. Appliances are NOT permitted in the studios including refrigerators, microwaves, space heaters, and cooktops. Pets are NOT permitted in studio.
Storage
There is no space for storing student work beyond your immediate studio area. Public spaces are for reviews and exhibitions – not storage. Work left in public spaces is vulnerable to removal and vandalism. Protect your work. Document your work. Back up your work.
Re-use Bins
At either end of the third floor there are large bins to place any material that can be re-used by someone else. This may include, but is not limited to, chipboard, cardboard, foamcore, wood, and scrap materials.
"Dirty Work" and "Clean Work"
The third floor is designed for computing, drawing, and model making. If models require materials like plaster, concrete, wax, and large scale pieces of wood, then this work should be done with supervision in a very limited area or outside. Each student is responsible for promptly removing the resulting waste and spills. Absolutely NO plaster or concrete can be poured into the sinks.
If you are using any media with fumes (paints, thinners, foam cutting, solvents, spray adhesives), do this work only in the spray booth. This is a hooded, filtered enclosure on the east end of the third floor. You must turn it on in order for the toxic gases to be properly vented and exhausted out of the building. Please do not spray in hallways or common studio areas. Hazardous materials, such as resin, are not permitted in the studio, including the spray booths. Notify the Facilities Manager of any missing or clogged air filters.
Review Spaces
These spaces can be reserved by faculty online or through Laura Brown (Room 2150). A few tips on review etiquette: do not step on the fabric or rolling chairs when hanging work; always leave room for others to pass behind a review without causing a disruption; leave the review space better than you found it.
Semester's End
At the end of every semester each student is responsible for disposing of all trash, unwanted models and drawings, recycling paper, and sorting materials for re-use by others. During the fall to winter break you may leave your materials secured in your desks. The College does not assume responsibility for any work or personal belongings left in the studio. On the first official day of class in the winter term, move your belongings to your new desk in your new studio. Models may not be stored in the building.
At the conclusion of each semester, dismantle any models and bases you do not wish to take home. There are re-use bins at either end of the third floor. Any material or model deemed unusable by others should be taken to the dumpster located by the loading dock.
Questions/Contact
See Taubman College Facilities Supervisor Andy Christenson, Room 2105, chrandy@umich.edu.
