A New Campus for a New Century
The new Library, the new Humanities Center and the new Chapel are designed by Sasaki Associates, a world-class architectural firm that specializes in university projects. The company recently won first prize in the international design competition for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and its academic portfolio includes major projects at schools such as Harvard University, Boston College, Johns Hopkins, MIT and Trinity College in Hartford.
Campus Highlights
Chapel
Located at the southwest corner of the Quad, the new Chapel will be a key visual and spiritual beacon on campus. The structure itself will be organized as three elements—the Bell Tower, the Main Chapel, and a small Chapel for daily worship—intertwined with a series of outdoor spaces. Natural light and warm materials such as wood, cloth and stained glass will fill the 14,000-square-foot space, providing a peaceful refuge right in the center of our busy campus.
The Chapel plaza at the main entrance will be directly accessible from the Quad and will allow for outdoor gatherings before and after Mass and other events.
Library
The new Library will reflect ongoing changes to the role of Library Sciences in higher education. Its expanded space will house not only our growing collection of printed materials, but will also incorporate new technologies that will facilitate research and learning, enabling students to use both traditional printed materials and online information more effectively.
The new Library will feature spaces for quiet reading and research, as well as offering formal and informal gathering spaces to facilitate active learning and discussion. Finally, the Library’s design will support a new structure for the Library Sciences organization, incorporating both traditional roles such as guiding student research and managing the collection, along with the staff’s growing role as stewards for all information produced and consumed by the University.
Humanities Center
The new Humanities Center will feature 16 classrooms, more than 50 faculty offices and a variety of seating areas over three levels, all opening onto a light-filled atrium called the Forum. The Center will provide a home for several University departments, including English, History, Religious Studies, Philosophy, Political Science and Psychology. In addition, it will feature a café and several large presentation spaces. A glass-enclosed bridge will connect the new Humanities Center to the expanded Library, facilitating a closer connection between classroom and independent learning.