The Gunner's Mates Service School is an early SOM archetype. It exemplifies the principle that direct expression of a building’s function results in enduring, well-conceived form. Designed by William Priestley and Bruce Graham, the building is a column-free naval training space enclosed by a translucent curtain wall made of green glass. It is also among the earliest realizations of the Miesian concept of "universal space": the idea that open-span structures can adapt to a multitude of functions over time.
Great Lakes Naval Training Center – Gunner's Mate Service School
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Project Facts
Location: Great Lakes, Illinois
Project Completion: 1952
Site Area: 110,000 ft2
Project Area: 98,260 ft2
Number of Stories: 3
Building Height: 54 ft
Market: Civic + Government, Education
Service: Architecture, MEP, Structural + Civil Engineering
See Also...

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