Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Biola University: The Alton and Lydia Lim Center for Science, Technology and Health

  • 06/01/18
Biola University

PHOTOS © GENSLER / RYAN GOBUTY

Facing strong growth in all of its health and science programs, historically liberal arts-focused Biola University in La Mirada, CA, launched its largest capital improvement project to date—the Alton and Lydia Lim Center for Science, Technology and Health—a single building, creatively planned to leverage limited physical and financial resources, to house multiple undergraduate programs under one roof.

With the goal of successfully combining a varied set of users into the 91,000-square-foot science building, the Gensler design team partnered with university facilities leadership to conduct an extensive programming phase to ensure the right mix was achieved and the goals and aspirations of each would be met. Through this user engagement and a high-performance focused design a unique synergy was achieved, creating new learning opportunities and encouraging the cross-disciplinary interaction and exchange of ideas. Breakout areas, hallways, and conference rooms emulate the desirable amenities found in co-working spaces. Students in healthcare trajectories mingle with computer science majors and those in biological research and the physical sciences.

To meet site and budget constraints, Gensler developed a highly efficient four-story plan that reduced costs and allowed for greater flexibility and future reconfiguration through modular lab spaces. Bespoke teaching laboratories ring the perimeter while research labs with extensive glazing occupy the core, visually connected to vibrant collaboration areas and circulation. The objective was to enhance interest and thus interaction by making visible the widest possible range of study within the various programs. In contrast, a few special labs provide a totally immersive experience, transporting students into a clinical environment. A multi-bay human anatomy suite balances respectful concealment with generous daylighting. An expansive nursing lab is the pride of the nursing program, providing immersion through both the architecture of the space and state-of-the-art simulation mannequins. Finally, classrooms in the new facility are sized and configured to enable faculty to test emerging models of active learning.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management June 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • 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.

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).

  • 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.