Vassar College Thompson Library
Visioning Study: An Architectural Assessment, Program and Visioning Study for the Future of the Library
TYPOLOGY: Institutional/Higher Education
CLIENT: Vassar College
LOCATION: Poughkeepsie, NY
SIZE: 110,000sf
COLLABORATORS: Brightspot Strategies
STATUS: Fundraising
SERVICES: Building Assessment, Programming, Visioning
DESCRIPTION:
Vassar College enlisted DBA to identify future opportunities for supportive growth and expansion of the Thompson Library, one of the most recognizable buildings and a critical asset to the college’s fundamental principles. As Vassar continues to develop as a preeminent liberal arts college, the library has a unique opportunity to refocus its purpose and engage students.
The program centered on four critical tenets: accessibility, the natural environment, health and well-being, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. DBA’s vision focused on improving access to the library for all students, increasing the number of collaborative spaces to enhance interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary learning, and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion for all students.
The study identified several expansion options, each with its own cost and construction requirements, enabling Vassar to make informed decisions about the development of their most important building asset. The resulting vision would create a functional, coherent, and transformative community space that would serve Vassar students well into the 21st century.