The design for the ASU Polytechnic transformed a decommissioned airbase into an inviting pedestrian campus that celebrates the desert landscape and creates a new identity for the program. By segmenting the 245,000 sq ft program into five buildings, the architects formed four landscaped courtyards linked by a series of portals and arcades, creating a cohesive pedestrian campus. The three largest buildings turn their long sides to the east and west protecting the courtyards and open-air atria from the monsoon driven rain and desert dust. These shady, open-air atria provide environmentally sensitive social spaces that maximise visibility, daylighting, and the sense of community while minimising energy usage.