North Adams, MA – Schematic design for the new Center for Science and Innovation at Massachusetts College
of Liberal Arts (MCLA), North Adams, MA, has recently been completed. This follows the recent completion and certification of EYP Architecture & Engineering’s feasibility study. 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, 65,000-sf 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 Math (STEM) Pipeline Network by making labs, classrooms, and other resources available to the community.
MCLA President Mary K. Grant commented, “The College is thrilled to take the next step toward realizing this new building and the educational and economic benefits it will provide for the Berkshires.” She continued, “This project is important to the College, the City of North Adams, and the region. The Center for Science and Innovation will foster new opportunities for collaboration and new ways of engaging students.”
“This project is a testament to the Patrick-Murray Administration’s commitment to providing world-class public higher education facilities,” said DCAM Commissioner Carole Cornelison. “DCAM looks forward to working with our partners to make the Center for Science and Innovation a reality.” Commented EYP Project Executive Heather Taylor, AIA, LEED AP, “Great projects begin with great clients, and President Grant and the leadership team from MCLA and our DCAM partners have been fantastic to work with. It is extremely rewarding to work on an innovative project thatvwill make such a positive impact on a whole region, providing opportunities and inspiring young minds. It is a great opportunity for our EYP team to share our collective design and sustainability knowledge and expertise in this specific type of building and to do it in a public liberal arts forum.”
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. More than merely a building project, the carefully studied placement of this facility will also physically redefine the campus with the creation of new collegiate outdoor open space and pathways, and will also 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.
Designed with the goal of achieving LEED Silver from the U.S. Green Building Council, the new building will incorporate a series of the latest sustainable technologies available for both demonstration and energy reduction purposes. 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. The new Center is scheduled for occupancy in Fall 2013.
