A student-centered STEM facility shaped through deep collaboration and responsive design.
EHDD’s design for the new Seaver East Laboratory at Pomona College reflects an intensive, inclusive process that brought together students, faculty, and staff across the departments of mathematics, physics, and astronomy. Through workshops, peer institution tours, and cultural assessments of the existing building, the team developed a shared vision grounded in Pomona’s values and 21st-century teaching goals.
The resulting 74,868-square-foot facility includes active learning classrooms, hands-on laboratories, and gathering spaces that support collaboration and engagement. Faculty offices were intentionally located to improve accessibility and strengthen student-faculty relationships. A central community hub and a series of breakout spaces reinforce the school’s tight-knit academic culture. The building also includes specialized infrastructure for physics instruction, such as shops, a planetarium, and an outdoor physics courtyard designed for experimentation and demonstration.
Sustainability and user wellness were core priorities throughout the design. The building is certified LEED Platinum and was recognized with a Sustainable Innovation Award by the USGBC Los Angeles Chapter. Seaver East provides Pomona College with a vibrant, flexible, and environmentally responsive facility that supports immersive STEM learning today and into the future.