More and more young architects are plateauing in low and mid-level careers because they only learn architecture through software, explains Katie Bonier, director of Merrimack College’s architecture program.
Which is why, as work continues on the new home of Merrimack’s Department of Creative Arts, Design and Architecture (CADA) at 305 North Main St. in Andover, Mass, so much of the 60,000 square-foot space is dedicated to hands-on learning.
“If you are going to be an architect, you need to know how to test and try out materials and have your imagination meet the physical work so you see the results in real time, judge the outcome and do it again,” Bonier said.
Merrimack’s renovation of the building, which was built over 100 years ago to serve Shawsheen Village as a pharmacy, dance pavilion and theater, will continue in phases. The centerpiece of the renovation that will open this fall is a 3,500-square-foot woodshop on the building’s main floor. There, students will jump right into creating art, making architectural models and full-scale, design-build work.
“Our students will have the rare opportunity to learn how to work with physical materials, including wood, concrete, plaster and metals, from the start of their freshman year,” Bonier said. “This strong material intelligence will help them to become tomorrow’s creative leaders and contribute to the architectural landscape of the future.”
Along with the woodshop will be architecture and art studios, flexible work areas, and two computer rooms. Also on the main floor will be a cafe that will be open to the public, providing a new food option to the neighborhood. The basement will have studios for painting, drawing and sculpting. Next year, CADA’s digital fabrication lab will be opening on the second floor.
A key aspect of the renovation across the four floors that will be utilized by students is the openness, Bonier said. The goal is for students to feel comfortable with their peers, faculty and staff walking around and viewing their work, ultimately fostering a safe space for discussion and input.
“The way architecture works, until shovels hit the ground, it is all a work in progress,” said Bonier. “So it is not just spatial thinking and design intelligence, but also becoming really comfortable walking through your thought process with others.
Merrimack College boasts two architecture degrees in the arts and in the sciences. The Bachelor of Arts provides students with strong architectural foundations to prepare them for a range of design careers, while the Bachelor of Science includes a senior thesis, a third-year internship and will lead to an accelerated architecture graduate program launching in 2030.
“Graduates of our architecture program are going to be the creative leads who will rise to any challenges they may face,” Bonier said.
