Higher Education

Central Washington University opened the $64 million Science II facility in October of 2016 in Ellensburg, Wash. Housing the departments of geological sciences and physics as well as programs in math and astronomy, the five-story, 120,000-sf building features an 80-seat lecture hall and planetarium, an observatory tower, optics and laser labs, an ice core lab, a scanning electron microscopy suite, and an acoustic lab with an anechoic chamber.

It can be hard to know whether a building initiative is meeting the mark by looking at anecdotal feedback about what worked and what didn’t. Pre- and post-occupancy data make it possible to evaluate the success of a design strategy. Studies indicate that the new Center for the Sciences & Innovation (CSI) at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, is attracting more students from all departments to the building, boosting integration between science and non-science majors, and increasing interest in STEM studies among incoming students at a rate of 50 percent.

Solano Community College is constructing a $34.5 million science and biotechnology training building. Located adjacent to Genentech’s campus in Vacaville, Calif., the 32,200-sf facility will feature simulated production suites for immersive education to support a four-year degree program in biotech manufacturing. The project was designed by SmithGroupJJR and is being built by Rudolph & Sletten.

The University of Notre Dame opened the $80 million McCourtney Hall of Molecular Sciences and Engineering in October of 2016 in South Bend, Ind. The four-story, 220,000-sf research building houses the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Providing 100,000 sf of laboratory space, the interdisciplinary facility comprises two wings connected by a collaborative core of faculty offices and conference rooms.

Lake Forest College is engaged in a $43 million renovation and expansion of the renamed Lillard Science Center in Lake Forest, Ill. The project includes the construction a large addition as well as the development of two entirely new wings. Designed by Stantec to support progressive pedagogies for interdisciplinary teaching and research, the completed 130,000-sf facility will provide collaborative classrooms and laboratories for programs in biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, neuroscience, and environmental studies.

Clark College opened its $40 million STEM building in October of 2016 in Vancouver, Wash. Designed by LSW Architects to support programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the three-story, 70,000-sf project provides classrooms, teaching labs, and offices for the departments of biology, chemistry, geology, physics, and engineering.

Whittier College opened the Science and Learning Center in September of 2016 in Whittier, Calif. Designed by Steinberg Architects with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the $52 million project included a complete renovation of the 89,000-sf Stauffer Science Building to create a collaborative, interdisciplinary facility for STEM programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The College of William & Mary opened the third phase of the Integrated Science Center (ISC3) in September of 2016 in Williamsburg, Va. Accommodating programs in applied science, biology, chemistry, psychology, neuroscience, and computer modeling, the $74 million interdisciplinary facility features 13 chemistry research labs, four teaching labs, instrumentation suites, a computational lab, a biological sciences makerspace, a spectroscopy lab, and a complete machine shop.

Nova Southeastern University opened the $100 million Center for Collaborative Research in September of 2016 in Davie, Fla. Designed by ACAI Associates, the six-story, 215,000-sf facility features wet and dry laboratories, a high-performance computing environment, the AutoNation Institute for Breast and Solid Tumor Cancer Research, the NSU Cell Therapy Institute, and the Institute for Natural and Ocean Sciences Research.

The University of Texas at El Paso is planning to break ground in early 2017 on the $85 million Interdisciplinary Research Building. Designed by Perkins+Will, the 150,000-gsf project will feature collaborative research labs, a vivarium, imaging suites, core labs, a visualization suite, conference rooms, an atrium, an auditorium, and academic and administrative offices.

Designers of undergraduate engineering learning environments must draw from a broad range of solutions to meet the specific pedagogical needs of each institution, beyond the traditional “wet” or “dry” designation of basic science teaching labs. In addition to designing for appropriate equipment scale, strategies include pairing labs and teaching space, providing a variety of maker or innovation spaces, building fewer two-story high-bay areas, and using scaled options for airflow and ventilation.

The University of Michigan is planning to build the $75 million Ford Motor Company Robotics Building on the North Campus in Ann Arbor. Part of the College of Engineering, the four-story, 140,000-sf facility will feature collaborative research and development labs, classrooms, offices, high-bay space, and a fly zone for autonomous aerial vehicles. Ford Motor Company will occupy a laboratory on the top floor of the building and is providing $15 million in funding for the project. Completion is expected in late 2019.

The University of Hawaii broke ground in September of 2016 on the $33.6 million Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy in Hilo. Designed by SmithGroupJJR and WCIT Architecture, the two-story, 45,000-sf instructional facility will provide teaching labs, lecture halls, simulation training suites, and administrative offices. Isemoto Contracting has been awarded the $31.3 million contract for the construction of the pharmacy school and occupancy is expected in late 2018.

Western Carolina University (WCU) is planning to build a $110 million natural sciences building in Cullowhee, N.C. The construction manager for the project, which will be delivered in phases, is Skanska USA. Completion is expected by 2020. Additionally, WCU is engaged in a public-private partnership with Summit Healthcare Group to construct a 30,000-sf medical office complex on the West Campus.

Umpqua Community College opened the 35,000-sf Bonnie J. Ford Health, Nursing and Science Center in September of 2016 in Roseburg, Ore. Designed by Opsis Architecture, the $17 million facility provides laboratories for chemistry, biology, nursing skills, dentistry, and anatomy and physiology. The center also houses classrooms, faculty offices, and conference rooms. General contractor Anderson Construction Company began work on the project in June of 2015.