Clemson University Studio fosters collaboration with students, industry and profession

Both Metromont and Tindall are committed to offer their technical expertise and knowledge to support this initiative.

Architecture associate professor Michael Carlos Barrios Kleiss and engineering associate professor Brandon Ross at Clemon University, use their precast studio as an opportunity to involve students in projects that explore the unique nature and benefits of using precast concrete, while fostering innovation and collaboration between researchers, professionals and industry at large. Success brings more success, and at Clemson, a successful first semester in the Precast Studio meant the program received an encore performance in the spring semester – giving double the number of students the opportunity to experience the studio this year. In 2020-21, students worked in teams to complete a design in collaboration with Skidmore, Owens and Merrill (SOM). They used what you learned from working with tessellations and symmetry groups in the plane, and Euclidean and non-euclidean morphologies, to design a large-scale structure and a wall system for large complex. The complete structure design used precast concrete as its main material. In collaboration with SOM the students designed two main structures, a large long-span high-canopy and an exterior enclosure wall system for several buildings on the site. A third structure or design of the student’s choice could be added. Graduate students also designed the exterior walls of the mosque. The project, a piece of land next of the international airport, located in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This gave the students a unique location for climate and site analysis.

Unique Program Aspects · Clemson professors engage a significant number of undergraduate and graduate architecture and civil engineering students through a coordinated effort between the two departments.

· Design firm Skidmore Owings and Merrill assisted the studio by providing a real project for the students to learn and design from · Students who had previously taken the course were brought in to mentor student groups and take part in mid-term and final reviews Faculty Michael Carlos Barrios Kleiss, PhD Associate Professor Brandon Ross, PhD Cottingham Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Industry Partners Georgia/Carolinas PCI Ray Clark Peter Finsen Tindall Corp. Metromont Skidmore Owings & Merrill Student Statistics · The popular fall studio was repeated during the spring semester to give more students a chance to take the course