Gorgeous Myrtle Hall Shows Off Pratt Institute’s Commitment to Sustainability

Brooklyn-based <a href="http://inhabitat.com/pratt-students-design-for-one-dollar/" target="_blank">Pratt Institute</a> celebrated the opening of Myrtle Hall this week, which houses the Department of Digital Arts, the Digital Arts Lab, and a number of other student services and offices. The striking building serves to revitalize Myrtle Avenue and also exhibits Pratt Institute's dedication to environmental sustainability. Awaiting its LEED Gold certification, Myrtle Hall makes use of a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/category/green-roof" target="_blank">green roof</a>, solar power, daylighting and much more to become Brooklyn's first higher education building to be <a href="http://inhabitat.com/leed-for-homes-winners-are-as-affordable-as-they-are-green/" target="_blank">LEED certified</a>.

WASA/Studio A was commissioned to design the 120,000 sq foot academic building, which houses digital arts departments.

The new academic building also houses student services, gallery space, administration offices and will include retail on the ground floor.

The building features two very different facades - the north is composed of panelized masonry and gives a nod to the surrounding mercantile brick structures along Myrtle Avenue.

The south facade is a louvered glass curtain-wall providing daylighting and transparency to the campus.

A large glass atrium in the center of the building, connects the wings and provides gallery and meeting space for the students.

Pratt Institute was awarded a $75,000 Green Planning Grant from the former Kresge Foundation’s Green Building Initiative to design the building and made good use of that funding.

The building features solar passive design, a green roof, building integrated solar panels, and tons of natural daylighting.

Currently, Myrtle Hall is awaiting its LEED Gold Certification.

The transparency of the building further serves to illustrate Pratt’s openness toward the local community, as well as its inherent collaborative spirit.

The new building is located on the newly-rejuvenated Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill, an historic landmarked district.

Myrtle Hall also houses the Pratt Center for Community Development, a non-profit housing advocacy group.

The new hall was designed to house a multitude of growing programs and departments, especially the digital arts.

Pratt Institute's President, Thomas Schutte, commented that the building "demonstrates the Institute’s commitment to innovative design, environmental sustainability, the renewal of Myrtle Avenue, and most of all to its students."