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Simmons Hall at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was designed by Steven Holl Architects. The undergraduate residence was envisioned with the concept of "porosity." It is a vertical slice of city--ten stories tall and 382 feet long, providing a 125 seat theater, a night café, and street level dining. The "sponge" concept transforms the building via a series of programmatic and bio-technical functions. The building has five large openings corresponding to main entrances, view corridors, and outdoor activity terraces. Large, dynamic openings are the lungs of the building, bringing natural light down and moving air up. Each of the dormitory's single rooms has nine operable windows. An 18" wall depth shades out the summer sun while allowing the low angled winter sun to help heat the building. At night, light from these windows is rhythmic and magical.
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Information provided in part by: Steven Holl Architects
