University of Scranton

Loyola Science Center

  • 04/01/14
Scranton University 

EXTERIOR PHOTOS © ROBERT BENSON PHOTOGRAPHY
INTERIOR PHOTOS © BARRY HALKIN PHOTOGRAPHY

The EYP-designed Loyola Science Center at Pennsylvania’s University of Scranton redefines the traditional boundaries of STEM learning and research spaces by enhancing communication and collaboration and by promoting science learning in informal environments and social contexts. A place for intellectual engagement among all members of the community, it makes science accessible and welcome to all, thereby revealing science as a human endeavor. The facility functions well as a showcase for the excitement of modern science pedagogy. The integration of joining the new construction on the edge of university property directly to the central campus pedestrian walkway is the major element in drawing science education from the figurative “periphery” to the central and most active area of the campus.

EYP’s design makes extensive use of high-efficiency glazing to reduce energy use, enhance visibility and views, and put science on display. The dynamic, modern design includes inviting spaces for student/faculty collaboration, visible glass-walled laboratories and the efficiencies of using shared instrumentation. Designed for LEED Gold certification, the Center includes 165,000 gross square feet of new construction seamlessly integrated into 76,900 gross square feet of renovated space. It contains 22 class and seminar rooms, 34 teaching and research laboratories and 80 faculty offices, and informal gathering spaces are incorporated in a variety of ways, including wide corridors and display structures.

Built on the ideas of Project Kaleidoscope, a program spearheaded by the National Science Foundation whose goal is to boost the quality of teaching and learning in the sciences, the Center’s layout provides a physical space that encourages integration among the traditional science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs, as well as the humanities, to drive the development of new teaching methods and engage students in practices that will prepare them for future challenges.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Enjoy Tax and Energy Savings with the Right Ceiling Solutions

    Thanks to recent innovations pairing mineral fiber ceiling panels with phase change material technology (PCM), architects, designers, facility managers, and other key players in construction and renovation projects are re-thinking the role ceilings play in supporting environmental objectives—especially energy savings.

  • Austin International School Library Renovation

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Austin International School has been recognized with an EDS 2025 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

  • Beeville ISD Starts Construction on New Elementary School

    The Beeville Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently began a construction project that will consolidate two existing, aging schools into a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects and Spawglass General Contractors for the design and construction, respectively, of the new facility.

  • Singlewire Software Report Reveals Gaps in K–12 School Entrance Security

    Single Software recently released its first-ever School Entrance Security Report based on more than 500 responses from U.S. school staff members. According to a news release, the findings highlight a gap between K–12 leaders’ wishes for school safety and how safe the schools actually are, as well as the challenges facing students and staff in that goal.

Digital Edition