About the Physical Sciences Building
The Physical Sciences Building, a joint project of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering, was officially completed Nov. 19, 2010.
The building includes more than 80 research and teaching laboratories, a 120-seat auditorium, and new meeting, dining and gathering spaces. It is designed to enhance interdisciplinary research, and will accommodate 15-20 research groups in the Departments of Physics and of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and the School of Applied and Engineering Physics.
The architectural design firm for the building is Boston-based Koetter, Kim & Associates, whose founders are both Cornell alumni.
The spacious seven-story, 6,700-square-foot atrium has a skylight and a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass, providing year-round natural lighting.
The open architecture of the staircases lends a sense of energy and movement to the building.
Glass walls offer writing surfaces for brainstorming, and the open design encourages the kinds of chance encounters that often lead to important new insights and partnerships.
