The new Chemistry Learning and Discovery Facility engages the University and city of Madison at multiple scales. It’s prominently located along University Avenue, a primary city artery that passes through the urban campus. The northeast corner of the chemistry block aligns with the controlled pedestrian artery crossing from central campus, positioning the chemistry precinct’s new primary campus portal. Pedestrians engage with the building through an expansive north-facing glass facade and large transparent student commons at street level.

The new building is organized by a thin linear support core to the south which acts as a backdrop to an open and transparent program that engages with the historic campus to the north. On lower levels, social and specialized teaching environments are organized in a spatially dynamic interconnection of floors, creating synergistic programmatic connections. A stairway weaves through varying floor openings, physically and visually connecting public floors while encouraging visual curiosity. Two large demonstration lecture halls are located below grade, consistent with functional demands for no daylight. A large active flat floor learning studio and social commons are located at street level, embracing the sidewalk and engaging with the community through double height glazed facades. Upper floors are simple and efficient with a support core as backdrop to an open flexible lab chassis

The building massing develops a clear dialogue between the interior program and the building’s urban context. Composed of three simple volumes, including the crystalline “Flashcube”, rectalinear “Lab Chassis” and curvilinear “Learning Studio”, the massing is organized to communicate internal functions and composed to respond to the base, middle, top façade organizations of the campus’s historic context.

The flexible Lab Chassis is composed of buff-colored, vertically-oriented terra cotta rain screen panels that reference the brick color prevalent on the historic campus while the crystalline glass of the Flashcube signals the innovative, chemistry program within. Four repeatable terra cotta extrusions are organized in a varying pattern to present a dynamic presence along University Avenue. Punched windows transition to curtain wall and baguette assemblies that activate internal shared collaboration spaces with natural light.