Höweler + Yoon to lead design for new economics building at Brown

Strengthening connections to place

The project will mark the second for Höweler + Yoon at Brown. Previously, the firm designed renovations to the University's John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, including its Sorensen Family Reading Room and Sidney E. Frank Digital Studio. The firm has also designed projects on other university campuses, including at Harvard, Yale, MIT and the University of Virginia.

Eric Höweler said Brown's campus is distinctive for its integration with the fabric of the neighborhoods that surround it. One of the firm's strengths, he said, is the translation of institutional missions into architecture that is specific to its setting, welcoming to its communities and deeply embedded in campus life.

"Brown has a rich history of thoughtful construction, renovation and adaptive reuse that make clear the University's emphasis on being a good neighbor," Höweler said. "Among the opportunities this project offers is how to make sure the building integrates thoughtfully and respectfully, connecting to the local neighborhood in ways that complement and build on the fine-grain texture of College Hill."Equally important, he noted, will be designing a building that creates the right internal synergies to advance the work of students, faculty and staff in economics.

"One essential question we'll explore is what might be possible when the entire economics department is unified in a single building," Höweler said. "In addition to classrooms, offices and research areas, part of our job is to create 'unscripted' spaces that prompt people to linger and interact, encourage sparks to fly and spur people to work together on new projects. Imagine the extraordinary economics research, teaching and scholarship that will take place under one roof when this project is complete."

Höweler and Yoon founded their practice in 2005. As the firm has grown, it has built a reputation for work that combines architectural innovation, technical precision and a sustained commitment to the communities its buildings serve. Its projects have received numerous awards including the Progressive Architecture Award, the Audi Urban Futures Award, the Design Vanguard Award by Architectural Record, the Emerging Voices Award by the Architecture League, as well as national and local AIA awards and honors.