Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) recently opened a new building that will provide interdisciplinary learning and research space for its faculties of Science and Engineering. The design takes design cues from natural elements and local building traditions. The atrium features an 82-foot-long blue whale skeleton that washed ashore in Newfoundland. This artifact reflects the university’s ocean-related expertise and inspires scientists and researchers.
The Core Science Facility houses Electrical and Computer Science, and includes research and learning labs, renewable energy curricula, and rooftop research labs that overlook solar panels and wind turbines. The teaching lab and research labs are co-located so undergraduates can assist with graduate research and participate in more hands-on learning opportunities.
The facility’s three tower block pavilions are linked by two tall vertical atria that promote interaction among students, researchers, and instructors from different disciplines. The North Atlantic’s rugged icebergs and local marine environment inspired the building’s shape and colors.
The main floor concourse is a vibrant social hub and another area for cross-disciplinary interaction. It also houses aquatics labs and classroom, lab, and meeting space for the Core Research Equipment and Instrument Training (CREAIT) Network.
The second floor is more student-focused, with project studios, computer labs, classrooms, and collaboration areas for hands-on learning. The three upper levels contain research labs and learning spaces for graduate students. Co-locating research and teaching labs enable students to share specialized equipment, exposing undergraduate students to post-graduate research.
Flexible furniture, pod workstations, and flat panel screens in lab spaces support group work. Windows into these lab and studio spaces provide a view into research taking place on all five floors.
On the sustainability front, chilled beams and a heat recovery wheel reduce the building’s energy use by 40 percent compared to a conventional design. The facility also offers private practice space for outside partners, including the Ocean Frontier Institute, to work alongside university researchers.
Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: Memorial University Newfoundland
Design architect: HOK
Architect of record: HOK
MEP engineer: TTN in association with RG Vanderweil
Structural engineer: DBA in association with Entuitive
General contractor/construction manager: MARCO
Related Stories
| Oct 12, 2014
AIA 2030 commitment: Five years on, are we any closer to net-zero?
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the American Institute of Architects’ effort to have architecture firms voluntarily pledge net-zero energy design for all their buildings by 2030.
| Sep 24, 2014
Architecture billings see continued strength, led by institutional sector
On the heels of recording its strongest pace of growth since 2007, there continues to be an increasing level of demand for design services signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index.
| Sep 22, 2014
4 keys to effective post-occupancy evaluations
Perkins+Will's Janice Barnes covers the four steps that designers should take to create POEs that provide design direction and measure design effectiveness.
| Sep 22, 2014
Sound selections: 12 great choices for ceilings and acoustical walls
From metal mesh panels to concealed-suspension ceilings, here's our roundup of the latest acoustical ceiling and wall products.
| Sep 17, 2014
New hub on campus: Where learning is headed and what it means for the college campus
It seems that the most recent buildings to pop up on college campuses are trying to do more than just support academics. They are acting as hubs for all sorts of on-campus activities, writes Gensler's David Broz.
| Sep 15, 2014
Ranked: Top international AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Parsons Brinckerhoff, Gensler, and Jacobs top BD+C's rankings of U.S.-based design and construction firms with the most revenue from international projects, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
| Sep 9, 2014
Using Facebook to transform workplace design
As part of our ongoing studies of how building design influences human behavior in today’s social media-driven world, HOK’s workplace strategists had an idea: Leverage the power of social media to collect data about how people feel about their workplaces and the type of spaces they need to succeed.
| Sep 7, 2014
Behind the scenes of integrated project delivery — successful tools and applications
The underlying variables and tools used to manage collaboration between teams is ultimately the driving for success with IPD, writes CBRE Healthcare's Megan Donham.
| Sep 3, 2014
New designation launched to streamline LEED review process
The LEED Proven Provider designation is designed to minimize the need for additional work during the project review process.
| Sep 2, 2014
Ranked: Top green building sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
AECOM, Gensler, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest green design and construction firms.