American University

The Hall of Science expands and enriches the landscape of intimate gardens that characterizes American’s arboretum campus. Nestled into its sloping site, the L-shaped structure wraps a new rain garden courtyard, where native wetland plants help manage stormwater in the shadow of preserved heritage trees. The building’s curving front facade engages the campus core, defining a clear edge for a popular garden known as “The Beach.” Facing these gardens, glass curtain walls enclose the Hall’s open laboratories to display researchers in action and give American’s science programs a prominent presence on campus.

The high-performance curtain wall incorporates solar shades that bounce light deep into the labs without obstructing the scenic views. Along with efficient ventilation and other sustainable design strategies, the building’s envelope contributes to its LEED Gold rating, reflecting American’s environmental stewardship as the nation’s first carbon-neutral campus. In addition to 18 specialized instructional labs for programs in biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and environmental science, the Hall houses flexible classrooms to support in-person and remote learning. With direct entrances on three of its five levels, students can flow through the Hall with minimal disruption to ongoing research.