framing aspirations with efficiency & enticement

Morphosis’ Emerson College

Los Angeles, California

This institution in LA is essentially a place for internship in residence for the students enrolled in Emerson’s seven disciplines in Communication & Art offered at their Boston college. In addition, the college hosts “post-graduate, certificate, and professional study programs”; along with “also host “workshops, lectures, and other events to engage with alumni and the LA community.”

Morphosis’ design accommodates the student housing, administrative facilities and recording studios in a simple yet sophisticated ten-storey orthogonal building, which envelopes a fluid and dynamic configuration of lecture halls, auditoria & social terraces and flights of bridges & stairs connecting them.

The fluid social spaces form the enticing core of the building, which underscore the power & necessity of public interactions & networking in an industry of highly glamorous appearances.

enticing edifice

the several facades of this building present exciting exercises in articulating surfaces of masses and screening apertures

simple frame

the 10-storey square frame houses administrative functions & studios on the lower floor, while accommodating up to 217 students in dormitories starting from the third floor

social spaces

the large vegetated terrace, the undulating backdrop of the shimmering façade, the numerous bridges, the steps to climb down and sit offer innumerable vistas and surprises while moving through the building – a much needed intoxicant or stimulant for uninhibited social interactions and learning

framing aspirations

the core of the institutions makes explicit its axis with the aspirations of – presumably – a majority of its inhabitants

meeting the street

in spite of its size and enticing forms, the building’s scaled down and immediate connection to the street is appreciable for making its intent of accessibility evident