Paducah School of Art & Design

This review is about the physical plant, not the academic programs, and is based on a recent very thorough tour graciously conducted by Dean Aho. Most of my comments pertain to the Graphic Design Building because held the greatest fascination for me. I have uploaded about a dozen photos to Google Maps that can tell you as much or more about the facilities as my words and I hope you will look through them. The new Graphic Design Building at the Paducah School of Art and Design is a fascinating blend of old and new, beautifully executed. This 30,000 square foot building is over 100 years old and was first used for manufacturing saddles. It was once a battery factory and was last used as a fabrication facility for custom kitchens and bathrooms. The latest in technology and digital arts equipment sit on the original board floors, surrounded by the original brick walls (to which seismic reinforcements have been added). The design and construction have been executed in such a way to make a breathtakingly beautiful melding of 21st century technology with the building's original materials. Work and study areas are equipped with modern, comfortable furnishings. A display gallery is located at one end of the building, and is open up through the second floor. It is possible to look down into the gallery from a large window set into the end of the second floor corridor. Many of the decorative elements in the building are fabricated from materials recovered from the demolition of an adjacent warehouse. A pleasant cafe (Kitchens Cafe -- named in recognition of Kitchens, Inc., the previous occupant of the site) sits at one end of the building, staffed with pleasant and courteous people and serving delicious meals with large portions. The Ceramics, Small Metals, and Sculpture facilities are a short walk away and include clean, spacious, and well equipped work areas. If you have a chance to visit here I think you will come away with the same impression that I did -- that this is truly a world class facility.
5 9 years ago (11-08-2016)