ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN COLLABORATION USF Architecture Department / Design Build Program, Halflants + Pichette and Art Center Sarasota Fayanne Hayes, Project Coordinator This initiative led by Fayanne Hayes, Art Center's Executive Director represents an extraordinary collaboration with architect Michael Halflants, principal architect of Halflants + Pichette, Studio for Modern Architecture and John Pichette; Architects and designers, Giancarlo Guisti and Mark Weston, and the graduate students of the University of South Florida’s School of Architecture / Design Build Program. Michael Halflants is also Associate Professor and Mark Weston, Assistant Professor, USF School of Architecture. Sarasota's 50-year old Community Art Center was transformed through a unique design collaboration that included the addition and partial renovation of the reception area and galleries. Design elements included an highly unique entryway with faceted overhead structures. Other elements included finely crafted reception desk and donor recognition wall and a centralized area for prominently displaying program information and promotional material. The galleries were drywalled and the concrete floors finished. Hayes, Halflants, Weston and Guisti, led a series of community forums. Community members, board of directors and staff members participated in a series of presentations and open discussions which influenced the design process. Halflants and partners led teams of highly skilled professionals and guided graduate architecture students through a challenging design and fabrication process utilizing new technologies. The Center remained open to the public during construction and students and craftspeople engaged visitors in conversation about the process. Didactic panels were displayed and a video showing CNC fabrication taking place offsite and on the USF campus ran continuously in the gallery. This project was made possible by generous funding from the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation. Simultaneously Hayes led the initiative to create a spacious outdoor sculpture garden. The sculpture garden was designed by Hall Architects and made possible with generous funding from Sam and Sally Shapiro. Additional interior improvements such as classroom windows, restroom upgrades and new lighting throughout the galleries were funded through Isermann Family Foundation.