After five months of concentrated effort working with the SmithGroup architects and planners, the University has accepted the “program analysis” for the new ECE building. Initial approval occurred in mid-April. During this analysis phase, the architects translated ECE’s needs and objectives into classroom, laboratory, office, and support space allocations and layouts. The architects delivered a large book of configurations for every functional room proposed for the building, addressing all the most desired features within the target 250,000 gross square foot total.

With this approval, the interior space allocations are essentially complete. The architects are in the “schematic design stage. Building contents will be assembled piece by piece, considering desired adjacencies, prominent entrances and lobby space, and contextual relationship to nearby buildings. This phase will yield a small number of potential building designs and visual renderings. Farther down the road, construction schematics and details will be prepared for the bidding process.

The building designs will contain many exciting and unique spaces, such as flexible teaching lab layouts and an open student projects lab. There will also be student team rooms for informal group projects and discussions, large student lounges, and office space for student organizations. A large auditorium will provide space for department-wide seminars.