Winter Visual Arts Center in Pennsylvania is set amid centuries-old trees that influenced its creation.

On the historic campus of Franklin & Marshall College, the Winter Visual Arts Building takes shape as a raised pavilion formed by the site’s 200-year-old trees, the oldest elements of campus.

The trees were the conceptual generator of the building’s geometry. Lightweight, the building's main floor is lifted into the trees and open to the campus and adjacent Buchanan Park. Drawing on the school’s motto 'Lux et Lex' ('light and law'), the new building for the Art, Art History, and Film Department is conceived as 'light' in complementary contrast to the heavy exemplary brick architecture of the 1856 old main original campus building.

This project has been longlisted in the civic building category of Dezeen Awards 2022.

Architect: Steven Holl Architects

Project: Winter Visual Arts Center, Franklin & Marshall College

Read more: Steven Holl Architects