The W.P. Carey School of Business added a 129,000-sq-ft home for its graduate, MBA and executive education programs. Challenging to construct, the building incorporates unusual design features, such as distinct "wings" intended to influence surrounding buildings and help define an outdoor plaza. A monumental, four-story arcade frames the entrance to the school from both sides. To the southwest, the plaza opens up to welcome students, faculty and visitors to the business school.
The exterior brick skin incorporates articulated brick accents and tall, thin windows. Lew Laws, project manager for DPR Construction, says the biggest challenge with the L-shaped bricks arose when some pieces became slightly bowed upon being fired in the kiln. Despite the slight deviation, contractors were able to make them work and achieve the architect's intended "corduroy" effect.