The Interdisciplinary Science Center (ISC) at Eastern Washington University, located in Cheney, Washington, has completed and opened to students and staff.
The LMN Architects-designed, 102,000-sf project is located at the center of the academic complex and the campus. It is characterized by porous, transparent, and vibrant social spaces that support a variety of teaching laboratories and put science on display. The building completes the western edge of Arevalo Student Mall and amplifies a primary pedestrian corridor to the south. The facility connects to the existing Science Building Center by two enclosed pedestrian bridges, forming a single integrated facility between the two structures.
The four-level, brick-clad building takes a rectangular form with prominent voids at either end. Within each void, a crystalline glass wall marks major entries and social spaces. The rectilinear form of the building is clad with a panelized red brick façade system, alternately staggered in elevation to reveal a consistent rhythm of windows into the laboratory spaces within. The planar brick panels are accentuated with a subtle mix of cascading glazed surfaces, animating the façade in a continual play of subtle reflection throughout the day. The landscape design features significant geological specimens along site walls and native plant species arrayed among the building’s various micro-climates.
SEE ALSO: University of Washington’s new mass timber building tops out
Inside the ISC, laboratory instrument exhibits and educational displays are integrated throughout its central corridor walls, creating an interactive educational environment and connecting the laboratory and corridor in a dynamic exchange of filtered views. The internal organization of the building follows the linear movement through the site, with laboratories flanking either side of a large central corridor on all floors. The building responds to the site topography through its internal circulation and features a prominent stair at the eastern entry that leads to the second level corridor and western entry beyond. A lecture hall on Level 1 is carved into the sloping site forming the terminus of that level in the hillside.
The three levels above feature a linear arrangement of laboratories, each with a corner display window that visually connects the teaching spaces to the social life of the building. Laboratories are tailored to the unique needs of each department (physics, chemistry, biology, and geology) and are interconnected along the exterior edge of the building via a “ghost” corridor to adjacent prep rooms. A multipurpose gathering space on the fourth floor is accentuated with faceted glass walls facing south and east and features an adjacent terrace with views over the campus to the landscape and mountains beyond.
The project has received LEED Gold certification. In addition to LMN Architects, the Build Team featured:
Civil Engineer:
Coughlin Porter Lundeen, Inc.
Contractor & Construction Manager:
Lydig Construction.
Landscape Architect:
Berger Partnership.
Lighting Design:
MW Consulting Engineers.
MEP Engineer:
MW Consulting Engineers.
Laboratory Planning Consultant:
Research Facilities Design (RFD).
Structural Engineer:
Coughlin Porter Lundeen, Inc.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Apr 8, 2015
The competitive advantage of urban higher-ed institutions
In the coming years, urban colleges and universities will outperform their non-urban peers, bolstered by the 77 million Millennials who prefer to live in dense, diverse, and socially rich environments, writes SmithGroupJJR's Michael Johnson.
Libraries | Apr 2, 2015
6 award-winning libraries showcase next-gen design strategies
The new Cedar Rapids Public Library and the restored Slover Library in Norfolk, Va., are among six breakthrough projects honored with 2015 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards.
Office Buildings | Apr 1, 2015
IBM's supercomputer Watson finds new home in Manhattan's Silicon Alley
The new headquarters for the former Jeopardy champ was conceived as a showcase for Watson’s capabilities, and as an inspirational workspace for Millennials and idea generators of all ages.
Higher Education | Mar 23, 2015
Hong Kong university building will feature bioclimatic façade
The project's twin-tower design opens the campus up to the neighboring public green space, while maximizing the use of summer winds for natural ventilation.
Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015
Retrofit projects give dying malls new purpose
Approximately one-third of the country’s 1,200 enclosed malls are dead or dying. The good news is that a sizable portion of that building stock is being repurposed.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Mar 5, 2015
Chicago's 7 most endangered properties
Preservation Chicago released its annual list of historic buildings that are at risk of being demolished or falling into decay.
Office Buildings | Mar 3, 2015
Former DuPont lab to be converted into business incubator near UPenn campus
The new Pennovation Center will provide collaborative and research spaces for educators, scientists, students, and the private sector.
Architects | Feb 27, 2015
5 finalists announced for 2015 Mies van der Rohe Award
Bjarke Ingels' Danish Maritime Museum and the Ravensburg Art Museum by Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei are among the five projects vying for the award.
University Buildings | Feb 23, 2015
Future-proofing educational institutions: 5 trends to consider
In response to rapidly changing conditions in K-12 and higher education, institutions and school districts should consider these five trends to ensure a productive, educated future.
Office Buildings | Feb 23, 2015
The importance of quiet and the consequences of distraction
Recent work style studies show that the average knowledge worker spends 25-35% of their time doing heads-down focused work. Once thrown off track, it can take some 23 minutes for a worker to return to the original task.
