Stinson-Remick Hall University of notre dame Notre dame, Indiana
respecting and enhancing a tradition with design Stinson Remick Hall uses a historical gothic exterior and modern laboratory environments that allows the University of Notre Dame to maintain tradition while advancing growth for the College of Engineering. It is designed in a style directly representational of existing campus architecture, speaking directly to the university’s guideline of creating buildings that form a variety of outdoor spaces that weave together the fabric of open space. The design embraces its prominent Notre Dame Avenue and Debartolo Quad location. Located in a high-traffic area, the 160,000 square feet Stinson-Remick Hall sits between a main campus thoroughfare and heavily traveled quadrangle. As such, it needed to offer a front of-the-building appearance in virtually every direction, and it needed to hide the considerable service areas required for a building of this size and purpose. BSA LifeStructures planned the exterior of Stinson-Remick Hall using design elements, materials and details that match or complement existing buildings. The design intent was to weave the building seamlessly into the campus fabric - and in a broader way - the campus heritage.
raising the historic university’s research profile At first glance, the collegiate gothic architecture and site orientation of
the specialized equipment needs. An upper level contains a bank of
Stinson-Remick Hall gives the appearance that it has been standing
air handlers to create a constant flow of air down through the floor,
on Notre Dame Avenue for quite some time.
constantly moving potential contaminants away from the work surface.
But inside those walls exists the most complex mixture of program,
Throughout the building, energy generation and consumption is being
function and architecture on campus. The facility houses the
advanced, molecular-scale diagnostic and therapeutic technologies
university’s first clean room environment, where white-suited
are being studied. State-of-the-art research facilities provide the
researchers work in a highly sterile environment. Inside, specialized
tools needed to support the ideas being generated here. Scientists
lighting, power, vibration control and air-movement support the
are working with individual molecules and exploring alternate energy
nanofabrication process.
sources that will have global impact.
Enveloped in glass interior walls, visitors are given a look into the
The College of Engineering is working closely with South Bend’s
multi-faceted clean room from the mail level student commons.
Innovation Park, a commercial business accelerator, to translate
The nanofabrication space is actually three levels with a lower level
scientists’ work into successful start-ups and economic development.
equipment and service intensive sub-fabrication space supporting
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1 As the mechanical areas to make the clean room environment offer an educational experience on their own, the mechanical space above the main level clean room is viewable to students and visitors who walk the second level hallways. 2 Undergraduates and other School of Engineering visitors are immediately exposed to Stinson Remick Hall’s 11,000 square feet of clean room environments visible in the main level student commons area. 3 Flexible learning laboratories in the McCourtney Learning Center enable open instruction and multi-use areas that create an ideal environment for project- and team-based engineering projects. Mobile equipment allows for quick reconfiguration.
education and research on display
academic and research collaboration Stinson-Remick Hall was designed to provide a unique environment
and its mechanical space. Flat screen monitors display real-time
for collaboration and discovery. Undergraduates and graduates are
electrical power metering of individual components and areas of the
expected to do more than just coexist. They are expected to work
building. Rooftop solar panels provide energy and curriculum.
together and learn from one another. Undergraduate learning spaces are deliberately located within steps of the clean room facilities, forcing
The College of Engineering is creating new types of learning
students and researchers to cross paths. There are also opportunities
laboratories that support the way today’s students learn. In these labs,
for undergraduates to work with scientists in the research spaces.
students participate in hands-on projects that introduce them to the various engineering disciplines. The McCourtney Learning Center was
With a desire to expose undergraduates to research and to aid in
designed with ultimate flexibility. As aerospace students build aircraft
recruitment, much of the facility is transparent – effectively putting
sections or mechanical engineering students explore hydrodynamics,
engineering on display. The building was designed to encourage
they can do so in groups or individually. They can pull up a computer
observation, discussion and collaboration. Glass walls provide views
or a white board or roll them both out of the way. In fact, rooms can be
into the learning center’s classrooms as well as into the clean room
re-configured within minutes to fit project needs.
“The building was designed to place our very best researchers in close proximity and highly visible to our freshman. The intention was to instill curiosity about research in our undergraduates.� Peter kilpatrick Mcloskey dean of engineering
“Stinson-Remick Hall is the type of state-ofthe-art capabilities Notre Dame will use to accomplish our ambitious plan to advance our education and research programs.� Robert j. bernhard vice president for research
high performance engineering, low environmental impact Perhaps the crowning achievement of Stinson-Remick Hall was the ability for such a large and complex facility to make such a minimal environmental impact. The effort that went into designing Stinson-
CONSTRUCTION LEVEL (SHORT-TERM) Brownfield redevelopment
Recycled content
a new standard for the University’s commitment to environmental
Development density
Regional material use
stewardship. BSA LifeStructures led the University’s first eco-charette,
Alternative transportation
Construction IAQ management
Bicycle storage
Low-emitting materials adhesives
No new parking
Project as education program
Remick Hall sustainably – for both the short-term and long-term – set
helping Stinson-Remick Hall achieve LEED Gold certification and helping the University assess campus-wide practices and procedures. Strategies for creating a high performance but sustainable building included enhanced commissioning and intelligent building
Open space site development Heat island effect for non-roof
controls. Commissioning began in design
Light pollution reduction
with reviews of the university’s project
Construction waste management
requirements and design documents. Early commissioning allowed required changes to be made efficiently and cost-effectively during design rather than at the end of construction. Prior to turn-over, commissioning verified system performance to insure all systems were operating to established functional and sustainable
BUILDING LIFECYCLE (LONG-TERM) Stormwater management
Thermal comfort design
Water efficient landscaping
Fuel efficient vehicles
Intelligent systems, that sense occupancy and use, automatically adjust
Water use reduction (48.6%)
Green cleaning / housekeeping
a room’s lighting, air and temperature levels. This, in conjunction with
Optimized energy performance
standards.
more-efficient fixtures and equipment wherever possible, significantly reduces the building’s energy load.
Enhanced commissioning Measurement and verification
The resulting certification shows the University’s commitment to support sustainable design and transfers this commitment to the next generation of engineers using the facility.
Increased ventilation Indoor chemical pollutant control Lighting controllability
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