Featured Market: University & Higher Education Projects
This blog post is part of a series focusing on projects in specific markets that we will highlight over the next few months. Here we recount a few of the recent façades created for universities and institutions for higher education.
New Build
McGee Pavilion, School of Art and Design, Alfred University
The McGee Pavilion, School of Art and Design is a unique facility located at Alfred University. The structure was designed by ikon.5 architects as an expansion to the Alfred College of Ceramics. Its design is unique in that it features architectural ceramics, the medium that the School of Art and Design is noted for, on its outer façade. The TerraClad® façade provides a sunshade for the interior spaces of the building. Each unit occupying the McGee Pavilion façade was created via the extrusion forming method. The surface is a cream through-body color, utilizing the natural beauty of unglazed terra cotta.

The McGee Pavilion, School of Art and Design at Alfred University features a TerraClad® Sunshade with a white through body color.
Wayne State University Integrative Biosciences Center
The bright orange terra cotta sunshade adorning the Wayne State University Integrative Biosciences Center stands out remarkably on the front elevation of the primarily glass building. The building is located in Detroit, Michigan, and was designed by Harley Ellis Devereaux and installed by Schiffer Mason Contractors. Repetition is a key visual element both in the glass and ceramic features on the building. The TerraClad® Sunshade, with its extruded terra cotta louvers, appears to hover in midair several feet away from the glass, acting as a shield from the sun.

The Wayne State University Integrative Biosciences Center has a Terra Cotta Sunshade comprised of many horizontal louvers with an orange through body color.
Cornell Upson Hall
Cornell Upson Hall is a newly completed renovation of an outdated, energy inefficient engineering facility at Cornell University. With the goal of a more energy efficient facility in mind, LTL Associates and Perkins + Will designed the building so it would achieve LEED Platinum status. They stripped the building of its original concrete frame and were able to rebuild it to higher standards. The exterior of the building features a grey façade using Boston Valley’s TerraClad® system. The terra cotta rainscreen panels were manufactured using the extrusion forming method.

The renovation of Cornell Upson Hall acheived LEED Platinum status, the exterior of the building features a grey TerraClad® façade.
FSU Doak Campbell Stadium
Located in Tallahassee, Florida, the Florida State University Doak Campbell Stadium is a renovated collegiate stadium designed by Elliott Marshall Innes, P.A. (EMI). The expansive renovation made much-needed adjustments to the stadium including interior seating and other improvements for students and visitors. The entrance of the stadium features two stylish wall murals of terra cotta masonry. The extruded tiles are set in a geometric pattern and feature four different glazes.
Click here to read more about Boston Valley feature wall projects.

The geometric terra cotta mural at the Florida State University, Doak Campbell Stadium features four glazes.
University of Arizona, Health and Sciences Innovation Building
The University of Arizona Health and Sciences Innovation Center features a TerraClad® façade with a red through-body color. The new facility on the University of Arizona features twisting terra cotta louvers that reach a full 90° rotation through innovative manufacturing techniques. The sunshade is functional and practical with its ridged texture, the building was designed by CO Architects and built by Kitchell of Phoenix. Boston Valley Terra Cotta worked closely with Kovach Building Enclosures on the development of the building’s façade system.
Read more about the University of Arizona, Health and Sciences Innovation Building here.

The twisting terra cotta louvers of the University of Arizona Health and Sciences Innovation Building feature a red through-body color.
Restoration
Stoeckle Hall, Yale University
Yale University’s Stoeckle Hall is a historic building with highly decorative terra cotta elements. Boston Valley Terra Cotta manufactured terra cotta masonry for this restoration for Charney Architects of New Haven and installation Contractors at Capasso Restoration Inc. Masonry Units were created using both the RAM Press and the Hand Press forming methods. In 2010 Stoeckle Hall won an award for the Most Intriguing Green Buildings along with its LEED Gold Rating.

Stoeckle Hall at Yale University is a historic building with highly decorative terra cotta details.
Thomas Aquinas College
For Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, Boston Valley and architect, Duncan G. Stroik, needed to replace the terra cotta roof tiles among the historic buildings on the campus. Each terra cotta roof tile was created using the RAM Press forming method and features a natural, orange terra cotta through body color.

Terra cotta roof tiles were manufactured by Boston Valley for Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California.
City College
The extensive restoration of City College has revived elements that had once weathered over time. The restoration project was led by architects at Fuller & D’Angelo with installation contractor Liberty Stone. The building known as Shepard Hall is located in Upper Manhattan, terra cotta masonry in this notable restoration project features decorative elements such as gargoyles and other detailed sculptures. Masonry was duplicated for this restoration using the Hand Press forming method, where clay is pushed into molds by hand to preserve intricate sculptural details.

Terra cotta masonry was fabricated Boston Valley for the restoration of City College in New York City.

Detailed sculptural masonry was fabricated by Boston Valley for the restoration of City College in Manhattan.