Vassar's new Bridge for Laboratory Sciences connects students with new studies

By its simplest definition, a bridge’s primary purpose is to connect two things — and at Vassar College, the school’s Bridge for Laboratory Science is intended to do just that.

“Science is highly collaborative at an institution like Vassar; it’s not only collaborative among the faculty, but highly collaborative between faculty and even among the students themselves,” said Marianne Begeman, dean of strategic planning and academic resources at Vassar.

Because of this, the college developed the Integrated Science Commons, a group of four buildings for instruction and research. The intent is to connect not only the academic endeavors of students and staff, but each area of study to one another, creating a hub of interdisciplinary discussion and discovery.

At the center of the 12-year, $125 million project stands the Bridge for Laboratory Sciences, an 82,000-square-foot bridge-like structure that houses classrooms, adjacent lab spaces, faculty offices, work areas and a café.

The new science building opened its doors to students this spring.

As to not disrupt the campus ravine or the surrounding woodland ambiance, the building spans 400 feet across a streaming body of water and sports a birch tree pattern on the building’s façade, according to Kate Mann, project designer at Ennead Architects. The building is the first major project in the U.S. to use Ornilux Mikado glass, used to deter birds from flying into windows by using a reflective coating, she said.

Now housing the chemistry department, "The Bridge” offers joint lab and learning spaces with state-of-the-art instruments for spectroscopy, chromatography and molecular structure determination, according to Joseph Tanski, professor of chemistry.

In the basement, Vassar's longstanding Interdisciplinary Robotics Research Laboratory has found a home, equipped with a mechanical workshop and high ceilings created for the purpose of flying drones. But, the Bridge for Laboratory Sciences also brings numerous areas of scientific study together, with labs created for experimentation in biology, environmental studies and earth science on hand for both students and faculty of all disciplines. Walls covered in black and white boards illustrate the teaching and application of these multiple studies throughout the building.

The building exemplifies the project’s main vision, which was established in 2004 as the project grew roots, Begeman said.

“The goals boil down to enhancing the teaching and learning of science in a time when the major problems facing the world today require scientists working together across scientific disciplines,” Begeman said. “It’s essential therefore that the education we provide our students prepares them to be effective players in this complex multidisciplinary arena.”

In addition to the Bridge for Laboratory Sciences, the project looked to further connect the studies of biology, chemistry, cognitive science, computer science, physics, astronomy, psychology, biochemistry and neuroscience with the renovation of three additional science buildings in one local area on campus.

Of the new Earth and Environmental Lab, professor of earth science Kirsten Menking said, "It's got four sinks in it, it's got huge bench space for us to lay out samples ... The building we were in has no vacuum line anywhere. Try to do filtration of water samples in a building with no vacuum lines. There's a vacuum line in every table here. It's designed as a combined teaching and lab space, so it's very flexible."

A portion of Olmsted Hall, adjacent to the Bridge for Laboratory Sciences building, was renovated to include updated classrooms, group study spaces, and facilities for the college's Neuroscience and Behavior program.

The New England and Sanders Physics buildings, originally built in the early 1900s, were renovated to provide an upgrade to the buildings' infrastructure and mechanics. New England now houses observation and testing suites for psychology studies, with audio and video recording equipment. The Sanders building includes both advanced physics labs for professor studies and a research floor for the computer science department.

Abbott Brant: abrant@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4809; Twitter:@AbbottBrantPoJo