The design solution took a dramatic step beyond the building envelope and the historic design elements of the original building. A new three-story addition between the two wings on the street side of the building knit the facility together with one bold move. The new structure, clad in lead-coated copper and trimmed with granite, creates a quiet, modern statement which lets the historic building dominate while expressing the new building uses within. The open, central circulation spine creates new places for faculty and students to gather, as well as a new front door to the town, enhancing that elevation and facilitating access. With a lecture hall, nine classrooms, and a seminar room, Searles is now the most classroom-intensive building at Bowdoin. Work sessions with faculty led to computer labs and classrooms being paired, allowing one group to use both rooms for a class, or for individual classes to be held in each room. Fully networked study areas, offices, and social spaces in both the new addition and the original building allow for informal discussions and study sessions.