CASE STUDY | Poughkeepsie, NY
 
Honoring the
Environment

Reflecting the surrounding environment while honoring the wildlife around the site was important to the Vassar College community. And, the architect’s vision captured this intention.


Built in an environmentally sensitive area, the Vassar Science Building acts as a bridge between two parts of the campus. TWS worked closely with the architect on a cladding solution where trapizoidal fiber cement and rainscreen cladding came together at exacting tolerances. The achievement is perfectly in harmony with its surrounding.


This beautiful building couldn’t be replicated anywhere else in the world, since the overall effect is reflective of the natural environment of Vasssar.


 
 
 
 
 
The opaque fiber cement panels reflect the birch trees surrounding the building – the shadows appear to dance across the façade at night.
 
 
 
Fiber cement panels were the key to the reflectivity of the building. The team traveled to Austria to test the effect.
 
 
Glass was thoughtfully treated with a reflective coating to make it friendly to the avian population.
 
 
Vassar Science Building
Panel Materials: Fiber Cement, Glass
Installation Method: Panelization