New London, CT – Connecticut College (CC) recently announced addition and renovations to the science center at New London Hall, a center for the life sciences, on its campus in New London, that will increase the size of the building to 43,913sf. Focused on supporting the core priorities of the college, this facility will foster the interdisciplinary teaching and collaborative research that are a hallmark of Connecticut College’s liberal arts education.
KBE Building Corp. is the construction manager on the project and the designer is Payette.
The new science facility will house biology, botany and computer science departments with a modernized greenhouse; an Electron Microscopy Suite; flexible teaching and research laboratories; and classrooms, seminar and social spaces to enhance collaboration and interdepartmental communication. In addition, all project work is being performed according to the college’s green building policy with a goal of achieving LEED Silver certification.
“Connecticut College has long been an innovator in its collaborative approach to science education and is now positioned to strengthen an already exemplary undergraduate science program,” said Dean of the Faculty Roger Brooks, the college’s project leader. “As the college celebrates its Centennial year, Payette has struck just the right chord between historical integrity and modern design to create a facility that the entire college community can enjoy well into the next century.”
Built in 1914, New London Hall was the first campus building at Connecticut College, founded in 1911. Originally constructed with granite quarried near the site, the four-story Collegiate Gothic-style building has served as a center for science education for nearly 100 years. Payette’s design for the addition and renovation provides an opportunity to revitalize the historical features of the building such as clerestory windows and open ceilings, while transforming the facility into a modern college science building.
Once renovated and expanded, New London Hall will join the adjacent F.W. Olin Science Center, Hale Laboratory and Fanning Hall to shape an exterior space known as Centennial Plaza, the outdoor focus of the college’s science hub. The proportions and form of the New London Hall addition respectfully emulate the existing historical building, while the exterior materials of the terracotta tiles, louvers and curtain wall reflect a forward-looking spirit.
The addition features a glazed connector, known as the ‘link,’ which joins the existing granite building with the terracotta portion of the addition and provides a welcoming pass-through space that encourages interaction among the campus community.
Construction began in May and is expected to be complete in the fall of 2012.
Renovations at CC Science Ctr. – KBE CM
New London, CT – Connecticut College (CC) recently announced addition and renovations to the science center at New London Hall