Chiang | O’Brien Architects was selected to create a new hub in Kennedy Hall to advance Cornell University’s mission of community-engaged discovery and learning. The initiative involved nine groups, including Engaged Cornell, Engaged Learning + Research, and the Public Service Center, and required a thoughtful navigation of the diverse politics, viewpoints, and user needs of each group, who were moving from nine distinct locations to create the newly formed Engaged Cornell initiative. Worth noting was the involvement of the nine user groups in an inclusive, community-input meeting coordinated by the design team whereby various iterations of building plan layouts were explored through a participatory-design process.

As a result, the final design solution eliminated costly redundancies including a completely enclosed interior core zone and the majority of private offices. The space was transformed into an open-office environment with private, shared, and collaborative huddle-rooms interspersed throughout. The conversion introduced natural light, which benefits every occupant, and flexibility with multiple, shared spaces and support areas. At the entrance, a “living room” with comfortable furniture provides opportunities for multi-media presentations attracting both students and visitors. The resulting collocated space offers collective resources, fosters collaboration among engagement units, and provides students, community partners, and the campus with a supportive experience and central meeting place.