North Adams, MA – The new Center for Science and Innovation at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), North Adams, designed by EYP Architecture & Engineering, recently started construction. This follows the recent completion and certification of EYP’s feasibility study and schematic design.
The project, which also includes the renovation of existing Bowman Hall for a total project cost of $56.2-million, marks a significant transformational investment in public higher education by Massachusetts in this region. A Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) project and part of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s commitment to improving higher education in the commonwealth, the new facility will make a significant impact, not only to the college, but also to the city of North Adams and the Berkshire region.
The college’s first new building in 40 years, the three-story, 65,000sf facility will include teaching and research laboratories, office space, and informal learning spaces serving the Biology, Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology departments.
Providing increased opportunities for MCLA students interested in pursuing careers in the sciences, it will also serve as a central location for all of MCLA’s programs promoting research-intensive science learning and hands-on discovery. Flexible classrooms in the center, including a 72-seat tiered lecture hall, will provide resources for all students and the community. Further, the Center will be a resource for K-12 educators and students in the region through the Berkshire Environmental Resource Center (BERC) and for the Berkshire Science, Technology, Engineering and
The new Center for Science and Innovation will be situated on a prominent location between the core campus and the College’s north perimeter and adjacent neighborhood and will thereby offer the compelling visibility of learning activities in science classrooms and laboratories for the greater Campus community and North Adams alike, further demonstrating the College’s strong commitment to scientific learning and associated economic development in the region.
The carefully studied placement of this facility will physically redefine the campus with the creation of new collegiate outdoor open spaces and pathways, and will pave the way for meaningful growth and expansion for future development. Acknowledging the original iconic campus buildings, but embracing a forward looking character, the design simultaneously invokes the genesis and tradition of MCLA with the critical importance of scientific learning to the College in the 21st century.
The new building is designed with the goal of achieving LEED Silver from the U.S. Green Building Council. Under study to be included are an energy recovery wheel, geothermal and solar energy systems, efficient envelope technology, solar shading, bio-swale landscaping and a rooftop greenhouse.