The preliminary exterior designs of the Molecular & Life Science Building have been released.
The facility, which is currently estimated to cost $160 million, will be located behind and around the existing Exley Science Tower and Science Library. The Hall-Atwater Labs and Shanklin will be demolished.
The design, by Boston-based architecture firm Payette, has large east and west structures linked by a glass connector hallway. The building’s façade is shown clad in a brownstone similar to that found on the Butterfield College buildings.
The design will be presented to the Board of Trustees in late February.
“Until now, we’ve only had an estimate on the cost, but this planning process will give us a much firmer cost estimate based on specifics,” Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics David Bodznick told The Argus earlier this semester. “We’ll take that number before the Board of Trustees in February, and if the Board is convinced that we’ve done our homework, they’ll give approval for us to move onto the next phase, design and development, where we’ll actually finalize construction details and blueprints.”
Groundbreaking for the two-phase project is scheduled for December 2009, with full completion of the facility not expected until 2015.
“It’s the most important construction project at Wesleyan since the [Center for the Arts] was built, or maybe even ever,” said Stephen Devoto, associate professor of Biology and Neuroscience & Behavior. “It’s going to be the most expensive thing Wesleyan has done, perhaps ever. The next step is to get the campus behind this plan, and agree that this is the best way forward.”
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