With its two story entrance on Broad Street, on center with a significant campus access way, the new fine arts building was the first academic space to expand the campus eastwards to the Richmond Broad Street corridor. The building expression is a combination of modern composition mixed with traditional materials and elements to represent the nature of the school and as well as the University. The lobby is the center piece of a studio building comprised of a simple shell with open studio space within; an internal spine links the various programs together while a glass entry way incorporates a gallery and access to a working sculpture yard to the rear. The building had been in the planning stages for years by other consultants; based on work on two other projects for the University, this team was brought in and the project came in well under budget and ahead of schedule. This is the second of three major projects Mark Chen has completed for VCU including a study for the School of Engineering and New School of Business.

PROJECT DATA
School of Fine Arts Broad Street Richmond Virginia 110,000 square feet on three stories the new center houses studios, classroom and support space for sculpture, crafts, painting and printmaking - Mark Chen Principal Designer with Perkins and Will with Rancorn Wildman Associate Architects