Northwestern College Science IT Centre

Michigan, USA

The integrated Learning Centre is designed to reflect the intimate relationship between students, technology and the natural environment.

The building forms part of a courtyard blending and physically linking with other campus buildings, opening onto the exterior landscape. We used an architecture composed of natural materials, to blend into its wonderfully treed and rustic site.

For cost effectiveness, the building is comprised of two segments, a laboratory science wing and an information technology wing, joined by a transparent glazed link. By dividing the building into smaller pavilions it is more in keeping with human scale, whilst maintaining greater building efficiencies. A two storey high glazed interior ‘street’,  that is an expression of activity and a place for chance meeting and sharing ideas, runs through the entire length of the building.

Prototype lab design and building concept
Aai architects + david Ellis architect