
Emmanuel College, Boston, MA
Light and transparency put science on display in an urban academic and medical district
The design of this science center addition embodies Emmanuel’s goal to provide flexible, multi-functional space that creates opportunities for interaction. The addition is part of the campus endowment master plan, a groundbreaking concept which Goody Clancy developed to align the college with changing demographics and academic needs and to restore its financial health.
The new science center has been carefully fitted into Emmanuel’s compact urban campus and complements the traditional design of the adjacent buildings. It connects to the historic Administration building (renovated by Goody Clancy), creating a new front door, and helps to shape the campus by completing the Main Quad and defining important outdoor campus spaces.
- The transparent nature of the building incorporates the vibrant campus activity while putting science on display. The overall result is a true “sense of place.”
- Rather than being segregated, teaching labs and research labs are positioned next to each other, fostering cohesion between and among departments—Biology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Physics and Psychology/Neuroscience. This innovative design has strengthened the relationship between teaching and research and proven to be a great success.
- Building upon Emmanuel College’s proximity to Boston’s Longwood Medical Area, the “endowment campus” approach focused on medical research companies as potential partners. As a result, the college was able to establish relationships with prominent pharmaceutical companies and offer student internship programs, successfully attracting students interested in science and research training.
