Harvard’s Science and Engineering Complex (SEC), designed to inspire learning and scientific discovery while showcasing sustainability, has completed construction.
The eight-story, 544,000-sf building is organized into three four-story volumes connected by two glazed, multi-story atria that provide light-filled social hubs for faculty and students. The upper stories are clad in a facade with a layered design that celebrates and calibrates the scale of the large volumes that comprise the research activities of the building, creates an identity for the complex, and plays a crucial role in the efficient energy performance of the building as well as occupant comfort.
In total, four principal facade types are used, including the world’s first hydroformed stainless-steel screen, which wraps the laboratory portion of the structure. This facade is precisely dimensioned to shield the interior from solar heat gain during warmer months while admitting beneficial sun during the winter. The screen also reflects daylight towards the interior while maintaining large view apertures.
Classrooms, makerspaces, teaching labs, and amenity spaces occupy the floors closer to the street, helping to showcase student work and engage with the community. The classrooms and meeting spaces vary in size and layout, ranging from typical, theater-style classrooms with sloped floors and fixed seating to flexible spaces that can be reconfigured into flipped classrooms for student-led discussions.
Located in the upper volumes are wet and dry research labs that provide researchers with solitude and security. Flexibility is ensured via modular, flexible laboratory environments, smart zoning of highly ventilated zones from dry spaces, and robust delivery of centralized lab services. Generous lounges located between the laboratory blocks provide connection points for students and faculty.
The SEC has been certified LEED Platinum.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Aug 16, 2016
New images of Rice University’s Moody Center for the Arts revealed by Michael Maltzan Architecture
The arts center will foster creativity for making and presenting works across all disciplines
| Aug 10, 2016
UNIVERSITY GIANTS: Facing money woes, the nation's colleges double down on innovative ideas
Budget constraints are compelling some public institutions to pursue alternative methods of financing their major building projects.
| Aug 9, 2016
Top 70 University Engineering Firms
AECOM, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Jacobs top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest university sector engineering and E/A firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 9, 2016
Top 100 University Construction Firms
Turner Construction Co., The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co, and Skanska USA top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest university sector construction and construction management firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 9, 2016
Top 100 University Architecture Firms
Gensler, Perkins+Will, and CannonDesign top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest university sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
University Buildings | Aug 5, 2016
How to design the best dining facilities for Millennial students
Location, visibility, and adaptability are three important ideas to keep in mind when designing campus dining spaces, writes Gresham Smith and Partners’ Patrick Gilbert.
University Buildings | Jul 22, 2016
Fast-growing UC Merced will double in size by 2020
The state’s Board of Regents has approved a $1.34 billion plan that would add nearly 1.2 million sf of new space.
University Buildings | Jul 6, 2016
University housing of the future will blend life and study
Universities across the country are striving to meet the demand of on-campus housing. VOA's Steve Siegle examines what students and universities desire in campus living, and how designers can respond.
University Buildings | Jun 13, 2016
Renovated Drexel University academic building will welcome students with front porch
A large screen sets a living room vibe for the Philadelphia academic building. Plans call for 9,000 sf of common space on the inside and a new quad on the outside.
University Buildings | Jun 13, 2016
Universities infuse tech features into learning, living, and shopping spaces
Virtual learning rooms, gaming stations, and self-check-out kiosks are among the perks—and necessities—that have all become commonplace in college campus design.
