A hybrid building serving academic needs and featuring an immersive kitchen within its transformative footprint
The addition of The Sciences and Engineering Center and The Commons to West Chester University’s campus is a story of transformation. The challenges of integrating a new hybrid building on a constrained campus were quickly overshadowed by the potential to shape student life, promote academic collaboration, and reclaim the landscape.
As the architect of record, our team worked with the University to repurpose the last unbuilt space on campus where surface parking dominated. We designed a new facility to house a large lecture hall, divisible meeting room, the University’s catering facility, a replacement board dining facility with visible front-cooking, and multiple large and small collaboration spaces and classrooms including a learning stair with a large format multi-media experience. A green roof, visible from surrounding residence halls, is integral to overall stormwater management. Removal of a decommissioned boiler plant put new meaning to the vision of returning to a vibrant landscape, as we carved pedestrian pathways and designed the adjacent North Campus Drive parking facility.
The building houses program space for the College of Health Sciences, Physics, and the University’s new Biomedical Engineering degree. By incorporating student feedback, we delivered a design to enhance student life.
At a Glance
Jennifer Grafton, Principal
I’m a problem solver—I love working collaboratively to find solutions to complex problems.
Tom Foley, Associate
The most effective designs come from a willingness to listen to and engage each team member—and thoughtfully apply each person’s expertise.
Gabriel Hohag, Associate
Our outcomes as a community are better in the long term when we are interdependent and don’t put off until tomorrow what can be done today.
Brian Lim, Associate, Plumbing & Fire Protection Designer
While education and experience make a great engineer, I believe humility, structure, communication, and teamwork make a great leader.
Esra Abumounshar, Architectural Designer, Generative & Computational Design Lead
We have a responsibility to better our communities with design by fostering diversity, equality, and inclusion throughout the process.
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