applied Technology building
suny college of technology at delhi
delhi, ny
DEMBLING + DEMBLING ARCHITECTS, P.C., completed this project in August 2000. The new 30,000 square foot facility houses the curriculum of the electrical technology program of the college.
This building is situated on a steeply sloping site that slopes over 16 vertical feet in 150 horizontal feet. A program component required three electrical technology labs of approximately 3,000 square feet each, and one demonstration lab of approximately 1,500 square feet. These labs are all located on the lower floor. A major goal for this building as expressed by the president of the College is to “sell” the program and showcase the students’ work.
Two of the labs are required to have a clear ceiling height of over 24'-0". This was accomplished by having these "clear spaces" project through the upper floor construction so that people on the upper floor could look into the labs below. The entry lobby on the upper floor overlooks into the demonstration lab below. These labs provide students with "hands-on" instruction where they will learn how to wire a building structure, work with electrical equipment, etc.
The upper floor contains a distance learning center, computer classrooms, and general education classrooms as well as instructor's offices, the office for the department chair, conference room, student lounge, and support spaces. The offices have views looking over the Delaware Valley.
Indicative of the building's technology use, structural components have been revealed throughout the building. The central spine is composed of exposed rigid steel bents and metal deck, which is penetrated at the midpoint with a cupola rotated at 45 degrees.
The cupola, which is representative of the farm style heritage of the surrounding area, has clerestory glazing, and forms a gallery space for viewing the student work as it progresses in the labs below.