KU Architecture Students to reface the new ICRC building

This semester, 18 students in faculty member Keith van de Riet’s KU School of Architecture and Design Studio 509 design-build studio course are working to enhance, via design and construction, a portion of an existing façade of KU’s Interdisciplinary Ceramic Research Center (ICRC) warehouse on Bob Billings Parkway in Lawrence. Design work currently in development will yield a thoughtful terracotta tile arrangement installed on the Northern and Eastern sides of the building and a critical educational experience for our architecture students.

The design requires the fabrication of terracotta tiles which will be installed on the exterior of the existing building. The aim of which is to dramatically improve curb appeal and catch the attention of passersby while simultaneously educating the aforementioned on the nature of the work within the ICRC that is carried out by both students and faculty, across a wide variety of disciplines. With a very important and generous donation of installation hardware provided by NBK, the remaining fabrication of a few hundred terracotta tiles is expected to cost approximately $6,000, largely made up by the cost of clay but also including other raw materials. In addition to design, students are responsible for all labor associated with fabrication and installation.

For the completion of this project to become feasible, the studio must raise all necessary funds noted on this page and are using their social media contacts and other outreach efforts to attract contributions of all amounts from individuals and entities who find this project of interest.

Simply put, this form of experiential learning is critical to the comprehensive development of students in architecture and design.  Join these students in their pursuit of the preparatory and foundational experiences that will propel them forward at KU and in their careers!