Earlier this fall, the Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center at Lafayette College opened for classes. The new 103,000 SF building houses biology, computer science, environmental science, expansion space for neuroscience and the IDEAL program, an entrepreneurship program connecting engineering and the liberal arts to solve real-world problems. One of the largest buildings on campus, the new building was designed to fit comfortably in the context of Anderson Courtyard and adjacent buildings. The Center’s brick and glass face provides an inviting beacon signaling its role as both a new campus destination and key community activator at the core of this cherished historic setting.
The College hosted a ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the building. It was widely attended by current students, faculty, alumni, parents, community leaders and administration from across the campus. The event included remarks from President Alison Byerly, Vice President Roger Demareski and PAYETTE Principal Bob Schaeffner, among others. Bob delivered a heartfelt thanks for the opportunity to design this seminal building for the College.
What you have done here through the Rockwell Center has created a destination, and you’ve done it without giving up on sustainability, which was a priority from the beginning…the College committed to it because you knew it could be done. The center has a heart. It has a pulse. There is a hub here that people love to be in. It’s vibrant and meaningful.
Bob Schaeffner, FAIA, Principal, PAYETTE
The celebrations included student and faculty-led tours of the new facility and demonstrations in labs, classrooms and other stations. You can check out the highlights from the event and listen to the remarks here.
Related Links:
Lafayette College Integrated Science Center: Dedication Ceremony
Construction Update: Lafayette College Integrated Sciences Center
Lafayette Project in the News