As part of its campus master plan, Beloit College’s old science building was demolished and replaced by a new 116,339-s.f. facility designed by Holabird & Root and designated as the Center for the Sciences. The building is organized around a four-story atrium and houses the biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics and computer science, physics and astronomy, and psychology departments.
A major objective for this project was to create an environment for interdisciplinary interaction; where students and professors could collaborate. The large atrium allows the science departments to interface, while single-run open stairs, open hallways, and large view windows into the classrooms enable individuals to look into the laboratories as they circulate through the space. Bridges and seating areas connect the floors at each end and small balconies project along one side to provide areas for small group interactions. The atrium also provides large, ground floor communal space where lectures, performances, receptions, and other group interactions, whether of scientific nature or not, can occur.
Holabird & Root’s design has increased the external visibility of the sciences as well, creating a strong, yet, welcoming presence on the campus. The building itself forms a gateway to Beloit College’s wooded 40-acre grounds and establishes a link between the north and south campuses. The large glass entrance also allows individuals to observe classes, group interactions, and student work - communicating both the energy and approachability of Beloit College’s science and mathematics programs.
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