Bell Labs Charrette Finds Opportunities for the Site

Bell Labs charrette facilitator Clinton Andrews has summarized “what the charrette participants learned” this past weekend

• Proposals demonstrate flexibility of building
• A range of cultural uses are economically feasible
• Program suggested schemes are combinable
• Opportunities for better integration into community
• Poetry possible from unexpected quarters
• Expense of energy was Bell function-dependant and this expense is not a necessity for future use
• Retain existing structural cultural landscape because of its strength: it can be adapted
  
• Price of land is low, various financial incentives for reuse

• Scale becomes an advantage
• Improvement by subtraction
• Model for sustainability which on this scale has important value, e.g. green roof space
  
• Puncturing is enlivening
• Vertical and lateral punctuation enlivens building

• Smarten curtain wall, retrofit it, entire envelope can be improved
• Atrium is more than open space, with possible functionality

• Landscape is integral part of work experience