Herzog & de Meuron has transformed the former Merrill Science Center at Amherst College in Massachusetts into a new student center and dining hall, reusing the existing concrete foundations of the 1960s brutalist structure. The project expands the building from 80,000 to 120,000 square feet while opening up the site to views that had previously been blocked.
Two new mass-timber levels rise above the retained foundations, with Western Red Cedar cladding creating a gradual transition from dark to light across the sloping site. Deep overhanging eaves provide shade and shelter to outdoor spaces on the upper floors, reinforcing the building’s relationship with its landscape while giving new life to the existing structure.
Image courtesy of Herzog & de Meuron
Want to know more? Check it out on Dezeen!
