Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

The Ray and Maria Stata Center, also known as Building 32, is a 720,000-square-foot complex located on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The building is wildly unique, reminiscent of a Dr. Seuss creation, and features a variety of architectural materials, colors, and shapes for the group of structures that form the complex. In fact, in 2005 Kaplan/Newsweek deemed MIT as the university with “the hottest architecture,” giving the majority of the credit to the Stata Center.

Inside, materials are just as eye-catching and compelling, including floor-to-ceiling 5/16” Fabricoil panels fabricated with a Brightened finish. Each vertically-oriented panel is connected to an operable Secura Track attachment manufactured by Cascade Architectural.

The Fabricoil panels add a semi-transparent “wall” around one of the building’s ground floor seating areas. The metal mesh creates a physical boundary that designers used to separate pedestrian pathways and the area that includes tables and chairs. The alternative would have been to erect solid walls. Cascade’s innovative Fabricoil metal mesh enabled designers to maintain a more open, flexible floor plan.

In an effort to provide added adaptability to the space, designers chose Cascade’s operable Secura Track, which allows for the Fabricoil curtains to be easily drawn open or closed. The payoff of this design choice is especially evident when staff need to extend the seating area or rearrange the ground floor to accommodate special events.