- Project Facts
- Client: Brandeis University
- Completed: 2008
The Brandeis Admissions Center had to be relocated while a new facility is built on the site of the existing building. During the 15 months that Admissions will be in the interim facility it needs to represent a welcoming and informative experience to prospective students and their families.
Responding to the crowds that Admissions typically encounters, IKM designed an entry that was opened up by using fire shutters, hidden above the ceiling, to increase the view to the reception area. The queuing area in front of the reception desk was scaled to accommodate large numbers of visitors, as well as a gathering space for tours. Three groups of sofas and chairs provided seating for waiting visitors, along with a computer counter.
An adjacent presentation room provides seating and audio / visual facilities where staff give talks and make presentations to visitors.
There are offices for the director, two associate directors, and nine counselors, as well as a staff conference room, kitchen, and storage. The typical counselor office contains and L-shaped desk and a round table with two university chairs for conversations with prospective students. IKM also designed the temporary space for the processing center in an adjacent building.
The project was designed to minimize changes for a future user, after the Admissions Center relocates into their new facility. IKM worked closely with Brandeis Facilities, the Admissions Office and the Contractor to ensure that the project met unmovable deadlines as the demolition of the existing building was tied to the larger project.
