Gallaudet University
A premier institution for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Marvel's proposal, "Active Edge," enhances this identity by using DeafSpace principles to create areas that favor the deaf community and offer a unique perspective of the surroundings. Instead of a uniformly open campus, Marvel suggests a design that channels movement through major gateways, enriching the experience for both students and visitors. The Tapscott Plaza Gateway, featuring Serpentine Benches, becomes a communal spot where deaf and hearing individuals can interact, allowing visitors to engage with and appreciate the diverse sensory experiences of the Gallaudet community.
The Exemplar Building is organized around a planted central atrium where the theater, event space, café, and diagonal campus shortcut converge, supporting daily use and spontaneous interaction.
Tapscott Plaza and Olmsted Green Site Plan: Plan view of the Active Edge linking 6th Street to the campus core, organizing Tapscott Plaza, serpentine benches, the Haptic Beacon, and Olmsted Green into a continuous public realm sequence.
Meeting at the Corner: The corner of Florida Avenue and 6th Street becomes a social threshold where café seating and the overlook terrace create a place to gather, pause, and engage with the campus and neighborhood.
The Exemplar Building from Florida Avenue and 6th Street: The Exemplar Building anchors the Active Edge, projecting Gallaudet’s identity to the neighborhood while sheltering the campus core. Drawing on DeafSpace principles, the building creates an active, elevated vantage point embraced by the Deaf community.
Heat Map of Activity Along the Active Edge: Diagram mapping patterns of movement and gathering along the 6th Street campus edge, illustrating areas of concentration for signers and non-signers and informing the placement of focal public spaces.
Gallaudet University, a premier institution for the deaf and hard of hearing, boasts a historic campus where American Sign Language is the primary language.
Gallaudet University, a premier institution for the deaf and hard of hearing, boasts a historic campus where American Sign Language is the primary language. Marvel's proposal, "Active Edge," enhances this identity by using DeafSpace principles to create areas that favor the deaf community and offer a unique perspective of the surroundings. Instead of a uniformly open campus, Marvel suggests a design that channels movement through major gateways, enriching the experience for both students and visitors. The Tapscott Plaza Gateway, featuring Serpentine Benches, becomes a communal spot where deaf and hearing individuals can interact, allowing visitors to engage with and appreciate the diverse sensory experiences of the Gallaudet community.
At night the serpentine benches are illuminated by the glow of the canopy above and the Campfire table in the middle providing even illumination for signing conversation.
Serpentine Benches in Tapscott Plaza: The plaza gateway provides physical access to campus, with serpentine benches forming a primary gathering place where Deaf and hearing communities meet and interact.
Tapscott Plaza and Olmsted Green Site Plan: Plan view of the Active Edge linking 6th Street to the campus core, organizing Tapscott Plaza, serpentine benches, the Haptic Beacon, and Olmsted Green into a continuous public realm sequence.
Active Core Atrium
The Exemplar Building is organized around a planted central atrium where the theater, event space, café, and diagonal campus shortcut converge, supporting daily use and spontaneous interaction.
The Exemplar Building from Florida Avenue and 6th Street: The Exemplar Building anchors the Active Edge, projecting Gallaudet’s identity to the neighborhood while sheltering the campus core. Drawing on DeafSpace principles, the building creates an active, elevated vantage point embraced by the Deaf community.
DeafSpace Principles: Privacy, Access, and Shelter: Diagrams illustrating core DeafSpace principles that inform the design of the Active Edge, shaping visibility, movement, and protection to support comfortable signing and social interaction.
Gallaudet University
A premier institution for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Marvel's proposal, "Active Edge," enhances this identity by using DeafSpace principles to create areas that favor the deaf community and offer a unique perspective of the surroundings. Instead of a uniformly open campus, Marvel suggests a design that channels movement through major gateways, enriching the experience for both students and visitors. The Tapscott Plaza Gateway, featuring Serpentine Benches, becomes a communal spot where deaf and hearing individuals can interact, allowing visitors to engage with and appreciate the diverse sensory experiences of the Gallaudet community.
The Exemplar Building is organized around a planted central atrium where the theater, event space, café, and diagonal campus shortcut converge, supporting daily use and spontaneous interaction.
Tapscott Plaza and Olmsted Green Site Plan: Plan view of the Active Edge linking 6th Street to the campus core, organizing Tapscott Plaza, serpentine benches, the Haptic Beacon, and Olmsted Green into a continuous public realm sequence.
Meeting at the Corner: The corner of Florida Avenue and 6th Street becomes a social threshold where café seating and the overlook terrace create a place to gather, pause, and engage with the campus and neighborhood.
The Exemplar Building from Florida Avenue and 6th Street: The Exemplar Building anchors the Active Edge, projecting Gallaudet’s identity to the neighborhood while sheltering the campus core. Drawing on DeafSpace principles, the building creates an active, elevated vantage point embraced by the Deaf community.
Heat Map of Activity Along the Active Edge: Diagram mapping patterns of movement and gathering along the 6th Street campus edge, illustrating areas of concentration for signers and non-signers and informing the placement of focal public spaces.
Gallaudet University, a premier institution for the deaf and hard of hearing, boasts a historic campus where American Sign Language is the primary language.
Gallaudet University, a premier institution for the deaf and hard of hearing, boasts a historic campus where American Sign Language is the primary language. Marvel's proposal, "Active Edge," enhances this identity by using DeafSpace principles to create areas that favor the deaf community and offer a unique perspective of the surroundings. Instead of a uniformly open campus, Marvel suggests a design that channels movement through major gateways, enriching the experience for both students and visitors. The Tapscott Plaza Gateway, featuring Serpentine Benches, becomes a communal spot where deaf and hearing individuals can interact, allowing visitors to engage with and appreciate the diverse sensory experiences of the Gallaudet community.
At night the serpentine benches are illuminated by the glow of the canopy above and the Campfire table in the middle providing even illumination for signing conversation.
Serpentine Benches in Tapscott Plaza: The plaza gateway provides physical access to campus, with serpentine benches forming a primary gathering place where Deaf and hearing communities meet and interact.
Tapscott Plaza and Olmsted Green Site Plan: Plan view of the Active Edge linking 6th Street to the campus core, organizing Tapscott Plaza, serpentine benches, the Haptic Beacon, and Olmsted Green into a continuous public realm sequence.
Active Core Atrium
The Exemplar Building is organized around a planted central atrium where the theater, event space, café, and diagonal campus shortcut converge, supporting daily use and spontaneous interaction.
The Exemplar Building from Florida Avenue and 6th Street: The Exemplar Building anchors the Active Edge, projecting Gallaudet’s identity to the neighborhood while sheltering the campus core. Drawing on DeafSpace principles, the building creates an active, elevated vantage point embraced by the Deaf community.
DeafSpace Principles: Privacy, Access, and Shelter: Diagrams illustrating core DeafSpace principles that inform the design of the Active Edge, shaping visibility, movement, and protection to support comfortable signing and social interaction.
Gallaudet University
A premier institution for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Marvel's proposal, "Active Edge," enhances this identity by using DeafSpace principles to create areas that favor the deaf community and offer a unique perspective of the surroundings. Instead of a uniformly open campus, Marvel suggests a design that channels movement through major gateways, enriching the experience for both students and visitors. The Tapscott Plaza Gateway, featuring Serpentine Benches, becomes a communal spot where deaf and hearing individuals can interact, allowing visitors to engage with and appreciate the diverse sensory experiences of the Gallaudet community.
The Exemplar Building is organized around a planted central atrium where the theater, event space, café, and diagonal campus shortcut converge, supporting daily use and spontaneous interaction.
Tapscott Plaza and Olmsted Green Site Plan: Plan view of the Active Edge linking 6th Street to the campus core, organizing Tapscott Plaza, serpentine benches, the Haptic Beacon, and Olmsted Green into a continuous public realm sequence.
Meeting at the Corner: The corner of Florida Avenue and 6th Street becomes a social threshold where café seating and the overlook terrace create a place to gather, pause, and engage with the campus and neighborhood.
The Exemplar Building from Florida Avenue and 6th Street: The Exemplar Building anchors the Active Edge, projecting Gallaudet’s identity to the neighborhood while sheltering the campus core. Drawing on DeafSpace principles, the building creates an active, elevated vantage point embraced by the Deaf community.
Heat Map of Activity Along the Active Edge: Diagram mapping patterns of movement and gathering along the 6th Street campus edge, illustrating areas of concentration for signers and non-signers and informing the placement of focal public spaces.
Gallaudet University, a premier institution for the deaf and hard of hearing, boasts a historic campus where American Sign Language is the primary language.
Gallaudet University, a premier institution for the deaf and hard of hearing, boasts a historic campus where American Sign Language is the primary language. Marvel's proposal, "Active Edge," enhances this identity by using DeafSpace principles to create areas that favor the deaf community and offer a unique perspective of the surroundings. Instead of a uniformly open campus, Marvel suggests a design that channels movement through major gateways, enriching the experience for both students and visitors. The Tapscott Plaza Gateway, featuring Serpentine Benches, becomes a communal spot where deaf and hearing individuals can interact, allowing visitors to engage with and appreciate the diverse sensory experiences of the Gallaudet community.
At night the serpentine benches are illuminated by the glow of the canopy above and the Campfire table in the middle providing even illumination for signing conversation.
Serpentine Benches in Tapscott Plaza: The plaza gateway provides physical access to campus, with serpentine benches forming a primary gathering place where Deaf and hearing communities meet and interact.
Tapscott Plaza and Olmsted Green Site Plan: Plan view of the Active Edge linking 6th Street to the campus core, organizing Tapscott Plaza, serpentine benches, the Haptic Beacon, and Olmsted Green into a continuous public realm sequence.
Active Core Atrium
The Exemplar Building is organized around a planted central atrium where the theater, event space, café, and diagonal campus shortcut converge, supporting daily use and spontaneous interaction.
The Exemplar Building from Florida Avenue and 6th Street: The Exemplar Building anchors the Active Edge, projecting Gallaudet’s identity to the neighborhood while sheltering the campus core. Drawing on DeafSpace principles, the building creates an active, elevated vantage point embraced by the Deaf community.
DeafSpace Principles: Privacy, Access, and Shelter: Diagrams illustrating core DeafSpace principles that inform the design of the Active Edge, shaping visibility, movement, and protection to support comfortable signing and social interaction.