Project Overview
The design for the new science center building seeks to realize the following goals:
Connections. Research labs, classrooms, faculty offices and common areas organized in a design that will make science visible. The facility should embody the concepts of Wheaton's unique Connections curriculum, ensuring that the new facility serves all students.
Community. Public spaces such as an open cafe and numerous study and conference rooms, encourage students and faculty to use the facility in ways that extend well beyond scheduled class and lab times.
Sustainability. The use of state-of-the-art environmental conservation and sustainable building design practices will limit the impact of the construction process, reduce facility's ecological footprint and result in a building that is more efficient to operate.
Flexibility. Science and technology changes swiftly and the building has been designed to evolve with the rapid pace of change, accommodating exciting new areas of study and modes of learning for students today and tomorrow.
Distinctive features of the project's design.
Scientific research will be on display thanks to a project design that makes extensive use of large, interior glass partitions to promote visibility for student and faculty work.
Sustainability has been built in to the design from the start with the goal of achieving LEED certification.
Interdisciplinary research will be facilitated by specially designed multi-use labs that encourage collaboration among students and faculty working in different disciplines.
Public meeting and study spots (from conference rooms to a cafe) will promote collaboration, community and a sense of vitality.
Room for growth has been designed into the center, which will include five classrooms outfitted for transformation into research labs as the college's science programs grow.
Flexibility has been designed into the project's teaching labs to create a more efficient building and to encourage multiple uses
The observatory for Wheaton's astronomy program will find a new home on the roof of the center, providing a better vantage point for observation of the night skies.
The college greenhouses will be relocated to the new facility and be better positioned in terms of exposure to sunlight.
Project leadership and management
Steering Committee:
- James Karman, trustee and vice chairman, Jones Lang LaSalle
- Elita Pastra-Landis '69, interim provost and professor of chemistry
- Tommy Ratliff, professor of mathematics and faculty coordinator
- Rick Wallick, vice president for finance and facilities
Architects: Einhorn Yaffee Prescott
Owners representative: The Rise Group