Beloit College’s new interdisciplinary science building fosters a sense of community and makes the excitement of scientific inquiry visible to those passing through the building.

The building was strategically sited so that it allows for entry on two different levels and connects the academic and residential parts of campus. A four-story atrium at the center of the building allows departments to interface and provides a large unobstructed area for receptions, performances, and lectures on the ground floor. Single-run open stairs are stacked above each other so individuals using the building as an entry point can look into the laboratories as they circulate through the space.

An outside garden mirrors the interior communal space and is interwoven with places to sit, reinforcing the idea that learning can occur anywhere.