Project Statement

The Windgate Center for Three Dimensional Arts provides a new home for Arkansas State University’s Department of Art and Design’s 3D arts programs. Previously the 3D arts had been located in the aging and restrictive confines of the Fine Arts Annex. As the university looked to grow the program, our design team was brought in to help assess potential in the current facilities versus relocating to a new facility. It was ultimately decided that growth of the program was not feasible without a major overhaul and expansion of the building.

The new Three Dimensional Arts building opened in 2021 and has proven to be a thriving addition to the campus. The facility provides for the continued growth of 3D arts programs in a state-of-the-art facility, allowing ample space for ceramics, sculpture, wood and metal work studios, all connected by an outdoor yard that houses the supporting “dirty” equipment – kilns, forges, spray booths and mixing equipment, in close proximity to the studios. The interconnective layout allows for the cross-disciplinary use of the studios, as students explore the various ways in which the craft of their art overlaps.

The front of the building, a nearly all glass lobby the length of the building, is designed to showcase the art inside, with locations for the display of student work, prominent inside and outside the building. This space directly connects to a sculpture garden in front of the building that extends the display of art into the landscape, and provides an engaging presence for the program on the University’s campus and within the Jonesboro community.