The building celebrates collaboration in architectural school through exploring collaboration within the architectural department, collaboration among the school of architecture and design, and collaboration between the school and the rest of university environment. The design holds the school tradition and identity in its existing historic limestone structure, while exploring a collaborative transparent studio space in a new expansion. The expansion is designed to show a great respect to the old while remain a strong identity of modernity. The existing east facade will become an interior wall of the new expansion, and pedestrian on campus can see it through the curtain wall system.

In order to create a collaborative open studio space with a sense of warmth, a structure system of Eastern White Pine Glu-Lam column and beam with CLT decking is used in the expansion. The structure allows a large, open, continuous space with a repetition of structural elements for students to communicate and collaborate. A raised floor system is used to highlight the wooden structure.