Mosaic Associates Architects has been recognized by AIA New York State, an organization of the American Institute of Architects, with a prestigious Excelsior Award for its design of the Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills, also known as CAMS, on the Troy campus of Hudson Valley Community College.
The AIANYS Excelsior Awards program showcases the best in publicly funded buildings, outdoor areas, and public art across New York state and the professionals who support and advocate for them.
CAMS is a one-stop manufacturing technology center that trains students on the latest machine tools, equipment, tooling, and software needed for employment with manufacturers in the Northeast. The building’s design provides corporate partners with access to offices and conference space adjacent to faculty offices, student classrooms, and labs. Facilities are available for corporate demonstration purposes, shared training activities, meetings, and events that connect the college to its workforce partners.
The college engaged Mosaic Associates and Principal John Onderdonk to design a training facility to support greater enrollment in its Advanced Manufacturing Technology program, attract private partnerships, and increase corporate engagement. The college wanted the building to showcase its manufacturing program and the capabilities of its graduates and required that it be flexible and able to adapt to developments in manufacturing industry equipment.
“Our team set out to create one of the leading advanced manufacturing training centers in the U.S. right here in Troy. The visibility of the site, on the southern edge of the campus, acts like a billboard for the program; it’s very visible to the community,” said Onderdonk. “We’re proud to have created a design that elevates the image of manufacturing as a career while following a very sensible budget,” said Onderdonk.
“CAMS allows our students to learn in a state-of-the-art space and connects them with employers in our local manufacturing industry seeking skilled workers,” said Hudson Valley President Roger Ramsammy. “This is a perfect example of how the college and the community continue to work together to enrich our region’s economy and our future.”
AIANYS President Illya Azaroff, FAIA, said, “The 10 remarkable and diverse publicly funded projects deserve the highest recognition for providing our community with thoughtful, effective and responsible projects. I commend the creative teams behind these impactful works.”
