The interconnectedness of things is central to learning at Roanoke College. EYP partnered with Roanoke’s faculty to imagine new possibilities from their 50-year-old twin science buildings, creating a new unified science complex with seamless connections between teaching and research. Rather than organize the project by department, the College has chosen to organize around four grand, interdisciplinary, themes: Neuroscience – our understanding of the brain, Material & Nanoscience – producing the materials of our future, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology – the study of living processes, and The Environment – complex problems requiring integrated solutions. And to minimize the project’s impact on our planet – most of the existing buildings will be reused but reconfigured.

A new link will be inserted between the existing buildings to serve as a welcoming community heart for both the sciences and the campus. The Digital Analysis Lab and a café will bookend this atrium space, tempting students and faculty to discover and to stay. Together, the combined facility offers interactive teaching and team research spaces for Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Studies, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology, plus shared computer labs, classrooms, and seminar rooms. The 40% increase in square footage for laboratory space includes 16 teaching labs and 35 research labs. A 140-seat auditorium for both classes and public events has been located at the gateway between town and gown, celebrating the College’s commitment to its neighbors.