UW-Stout Jarvis Science Hall

​​​​​​​Project Number: #05I2Q 

Art Budget:$85,000 (Expected to cover all design and fabrication expenses associated with the project.)

And, University of Wisconsin-Stout Combined Residence Halls; Red Cedar & Hovlid Halls:

Project Number: #02H2J & 07B2F

Art Budget: $58,000 (Expected to cover all design and fabrication expenses associated with the project.)

For both projects:

• ​Eligibility Criteria: All artists from Arts Midwest region are eligible to apply (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) Applicants must not be students in a fine arts degree program. 
  

Art Schedule

Design Due: May - June 2011.

Installation: TBD, pending location.  

Building Completion: construction complete.  

Architects: SDS Architects, Eau Claire, WI.

The University

James Huff Stout, founder of the Stout Manual Training School, probably wouldn’t recognize the school he established in Menomonie, Wis., in 1891, but he certainly would be proud that more than 100 years later the University of Wisconsin-Stout remains faithful to his vision on a modern campus that breeds innovation.  Stout, a prosperous lumber baron, wanted to prepare students for “the actual duties of life, in a more direct and positive manner than is done in the ordinary American school.”  Now with 9,300 students, UW Stout is a technology-driven campus on which every undergraduate receives a laptop through the eScholar program for his or her education. With an expanding curriculum, UW-Stout remains true to its founder’s vision.

In March 2007, the UW System Board of Regents designated UW-Stout as “Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University.” Thus, a university was reborn, but one that retains its roots in the Stout Manual Training School. UW-Stout's programs prepare students for productive careers in business, industry, engineering, technology, education, human development, and art and design. At "Wisconsin's Polytechnic University," students, faculty and staff use applied learning, scientific theory and research to solve real-world problems, grow the state’s economy and serve society.

UW-Stout's approach to education emphasizes these tenets: 

Career Focus: offers a comprehensive curriculum that prepares graduates for professional careers.

Applied Learning: blends theory with practice to produce innovative solutions to real world problems.

Collaboration: works closely with business, industry and other educational institutions to benefit students and grow the economy.

UW-Stout is much more than just an institution that prepares students for professional careers; it also is a welcoming campus in a beautiful city in western Wisconsin that offers students abundant recreational opportunities,  a vibrant arts and entertainment community and other choice amenities. http://www.uwstout.edu/polytechnic/index.cfm.

Jarvis Hall Science Wing Revnovation

Completely renovated 66,400 GSF of the existing Science Wing and added 90,900 GSF of space for science instruction including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, along with related research. The Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science Department (MSCS) were relocated into the building. The building was designed to create a cohesive stretch of building that was modern and dynamic while tying into the existing campus architecture.  http://www.uwstout.edu/tour/09.cfm

The new addition, located on the north side of the existing Jarvis Hall, responds compatibly to the existing campus building materials and colors, forming a comfortable integration with the existing building.

The overall design of the new Addition offers an open and inviting character from the exterior with generous amounts of glass, thus offering a strong sense of transparency.  This attribute also provides abundant natural light, offers views of the campus from within the building, and puts science on display.

The design balances a connection to the past and present, while looking to the future, through a thoughtful blending of brick, stone, metal, and glass. The use of brick and stone accent walls ties the whole identity of the design back to Stout and the surrounding campus context.  These traditional materials provide a visual foundation and represent the order and rigor of science: formulas, laws, facts, the periodic table of elements, etc.  The use of metal and glass conveys a dynamic energy and openness to the design.  These materials, composed in varied layers, provide a more mysterious, veiled appearance and represent the unknowns of science: discovery, aspiration, curiosity, process, inspiration, change, etc.

The facility design addresses the program spaces in ways that are both functional and inspirational.  Spatial adjacencies guide the overall conceptual layout; placing most of the labs and support spaces in the expansion, while utilizing the existing building for primarily offices and classrooms.  This layout provides an effective integration of old and new; and efficiently provides clear traffic flow throughout the building. A total of thirty-four laboratories were created for the departments of Biology, Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, and MSCS.   Thirteen new general assignment classrooms were also included.  Three general seat classrooms which accommodate 160, 128 and 84 students are located on the south of the new facility. A coffee shop and seating area line the west facing windows near these classroom spaces. As the Coffee Shop corridor extends behind the general classroom spaces, it becomes a major connection corridor to the Technology Building and beyond.

The dynamic nature of comfortable study lounges with abundant natural light, framed glimpses of labs and displays, an organization of labs, classrooms, and offices that encourages interaction and collaboration, and corridors with views to the campus, infuses the design with a unique personality – a strong sense of science and discovery – and more distinctly, the spirit of Stout. 

The east main entrance faces a parking lot and immediately inside this entrance is a welcoming gathering space/study lounge. Wide corridors are lined with display cases to showcase the   discoveries and processes of the various sciences housed in this facility.  On the first floor, on the west side of the building is another light filled gathering space/study lounge, and directly above is a stairway, and hall area on the second floor overlooking this first floor gathering space.  At this second floor location, a deep shelf or ledge space, nick-named the “mini-golf course”, is sited along the west facing curtain wall.  On the third floor, on the west side, is a large common space that will be used for departmental celebrations and other events as well as a student gathering space/study lounge. In addition there are informal gathering and study spaces scattered throughout the facility to encourage student interaction and collaboration.

The northwest corner of the building addition serves as an entry point into the pedestrian mall running the entire length of the west face of the Jarvis Complex.  The primary entry to the addition has a canopy extending to the northwestern corner of the building.  Plantings and landscaping reinforce the interaction between the pedestrian mall and Jarvis, while responding to existing pathways to the Student Center to the west.  This building serves as a passage for those parking in the parking lot east of the Jarvis Complex and moving toward the center of campus. 

To the south of Jarvis Hall is a rain garden which will be used as an integral part of the storm water management as well as a working demonstration and outdoor science laboratory opportunity.

Specifications

The selection committee has considered both interior and exterior spaces for potential artwork. They are open to additional artwork locations that may be identified by the artist.  The primary users of the facility are faculty, staff and the students who attend classes in the facility. The majority of the students are traditional college age students with two-thirds coming from WI communities and the remaining third from nearby Minnesota. Other non science major students frequently pass through the first floor of the building to the Student Union and the Technology Building.

Possible Locations: The selection committee identified the following potential locations for artwork. Interior options may include but are not limited to: 

Exterior options may include:

Conceptual considerations: The selection committee is interested in artwork that takes into account the open space and visual weight of the interior spaces.  They are interested in quiet, elegant and dynamic artwork that would not impose upon or “fill” these open spaces. They are interested in artwork that could/would

• Activate the open spaces with dynamism and movement.  
  
• Link conceptually between several locations.
  
• Reference the scope of the activities that occur within the building without using  stereotypical imagery. 
  
• Make science visible through art. 
  
• Reference discovery and research in non-stereotypical ways. 
  
• Reference scientific phenomena in dynamic ways. 
  
• Contain multiple layers of metaphoric meaning. 
  
• Have a strong intellectual and poetic dimension. 
  
• Be timeless and bear repeated viewing over time. 
  
• Be complex enough to allow viewers to learn from it over time and provide a sense of  discovery. 
  
• Serve as an ambassador—the artwork needs to be appealing and accessible to both arts  and non-arts people.
  

Potential Materials: The selection committee is interested in materials that might reflect or refract light, and materials that communicate the integrity of the material. Materials that have a sense of the ephemeral but that- at the same time- are durable, permanent materials.  The selection committee is not interested in stone or technology for this project. Artwork located within this building should not communicate or cause vibrations.  The selection committee is interested in durable, permanent materials that support the artist’s concept and require minimal maintenance.

Combined Residence Halls; Red Cedar & Hovlid​

This project combines two smaller Percent for Art allocations from the recently completed Red Cedar Residence Hall and the Hovlid Renovation and Dining Addition into a singular commission opportunity.  The four story Hovlid Hall was completely remodeled and a 27,500 square foot addition providing a dining hall, convenience store, 24 hour fitness facility, meeting room, and residence hall service desk and lobby was completed.  The new North Point Dining & Fitness Center http://www.uwstout.edu/tour/16.cfm  will serve as the primary gathering space for UW Stout’s North campus where sophomores, juniors and seniors are housed.  The residence hall service desk and lobby also connect Hovlid Hall to Fleming Residence Hall to allow the buildings to act as one.  A series of landscaped pedestrian walkways serves as a connecting link from Second Street to Fleming-Hovlid Halls. Constructed with pavers, a central walkway feeds adjacent outdoor gathering spaces (including an outdoor fireplace) and serves as a fire access lane. 

Located across Second St. and built in 2005, the new Red Cedar Residence Hall is a suite-style building with 75 suites housing 296 upper-class students. The style of Red Cedar Hall is like that of a “Twin Cities Loft” building but also has some common building materials to blend well with the current architecture of the existing 1960’s residence halls on the North campus.  Red Cedar Hall was designed to provide upper-class students privacy while also creating a community feeling with its shared public spaces (floor kitchens, lounges, and laundry and recycling areas).  The residence hall’s contemporary (but not trendy) design and extensive use of windows between interior spaces helps give the facility a sense of home and hospitality. The exterior walls consist of modular brick in a variety of colors to create a perception of row houses. Accent walls include precast concrete and metal panels.

Recreational activities are provided for at two large lawn areas.  The more remote area located to the west of the south wing of Red Cedar provides for passive recreation and casual interaction. An active recreational area is provided adjacent to Red Cedar’s game rooms and patio. Located to the east of the building's north wing, this active lawn area makes a strong visual connection with existing buildings and open areas to the east.​

A pedestrian path to the main entrance of Red Cedar Hall extends along the front of the building and culminates in an 80 ft diameter circle facing east on Second St.

A non-traditional natural approach was incorporated in the planting design.  Plant species from two related native Wisconsin plant communities, Oak Savanna and Cedar Glade, surround the facility.

Specifications

Since this project combines two smaller Percent for Art allocations, the selection committee is seeking an artwork in an exterior location. These ​residence halls house sophomores, juniors and seniors and are located geographically separate from the rest of the campus. Artwork that would support a sense of being both part of the larger UW Stout campus and at the same time, have its own distinct “North campus” community identity is desired.

The selection committee has identified the following possible exterior locations:

1. Various locations along the pathway to Hovlid Hall between North Point Dining & Fitness Center and Fleming Hall. [image]
   
2. A 60x 65 ft area along the walkway at the entrance to Red Cedar, including an 80 ft diameter circle. [image]
   

Conceptual Considerations: The selection committee is interested in artwork that encourages community building among students.  They are interested in artwork that could/would:

• Serve as a gathering spot. 
  
• Encourage a sense of community.
  
• Have a strong intellectual and poetic dimension. 
  
• Be timeless and bear repeated viewing over time. 
  
• Be complex enough to allow viewers to learn from it over time and provide a sense of  discovery. 
  
• Serve as an ambassador—the artwork needs to be appealing and accessible to both arts and non-arts people
  

Potential Materials: The selection committee is interested in natural materials rather than synthetic materials. The selection committee is interested in durable, permanent materials that support the artist’s concept and require minimal maintenance.​