Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Southern Connecticut State University: Academic Science and Laboratory Building

  • 04/01/17
Southern Connecticut State University

PHOTOS © NATHANIEL RILEY PHOTOGRAPHY

While the vast majority of prominent design features at Southern Connecticut State University’s (SCSU) Academic & Science Laboratory Building are incorporated into the structure itself, its adjacent geological rock garden plays a prominent role within the “science enclave.”

In keeping with a theme that permeates Centerbrook Architects & Planners’ design of the 104,000-square-foot building that opened for the 2015-16 academic year on SCSU’s New Haven campus, the geological rock garden is a teaching tool as well as an expression of art.

Thomas Fleming, professor of earth science at SCSU, oversaw the collection of the stones, which are comprised of 52 different boulders indigenous to Connecticut. Positioned along a spiraling pathway near the entrance of the building, the geological garden is a hands-on educational display that also serves as an outdoor classroom.

Typical classroom rock and mineral samples are inches in size while geological garden rocks are measured in feet. This better simulates what is found in an actual rock outcrop in the field, and provides students with more realistic observations regarding texture and orientation. At that scale, students can also measure features like foliation and bedding that are difficult to observe in a traditional classroom.

Numerous quarries across Connecticut donated the rocks, which also affords an opportunity to learn about their history and operations. For example, one of the sources — Stony Creek Quarry — has provided its distinctive pink stone for many iconic buildings and monuments, including the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty and the foundations for the Brooklyn Bridge.

See a video of the project at vimeo.com/142171216.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.