Yale School of Architecture

Paul Rudolph's masterpiece, the Yale School of Architecture (Art and Architecture Building) at Yale University, is a spatially complex building which includes 37 level changes and numerous spatial devices to allow views and light through the building into the various studio and gallery spaces. The exterior of the building is constructed of bush-hammered concrete which exposes the aggregate and controls staining and discoloration. The interior of the building is predominantly concrete in a variety of finishes and textures with orange highlights used for carpets and soft furnishings. The planning of the building and arrangement of spaces was intended 'to excite and challenge the occupants'. Level and ceiling changes rather than walls are used to define different functional areas and circulation and create dramatic lighting effects. At an urban scale the building was intended to respond to the corner site and views from the surrounding streets.