PROJECT INFORMATION
Project Participants
Architect/Designer
The Physical Sciences Building is designed by Wilson Architects, an architectural firm based in Boston, MA. Founded in 1995, Wilson Architects specializes in educational facilities including laboratories, classrooms, and learning labs. Wilson Architects’ company philosophy reads:
“We embrace three components in the successful design of sustainable buildings and spaces that foster human interactions and collaborations: campus, community, and consensus.”
The Life Science Laboratories at UMass, LEED Gold certified and completed in 2013, were also designed by Wilson Architects. More information about Wilson Architects can be found at wilsonarch.com.
Contractor
The contractor for the Physical Sciences Building is Whiting-Turner. Whiting-Turner was founded in 1909 by M.I.T. classmates G.W.C. Whiting and LeBaron Turner and is ranked the 9th largest construction contractor based in the United States. Whiting-Turner worked with Wilson Architects on the Life Science Laboratories and also recently completed the John Francis Kennedy Champions Center.
More information about Whiting-Turner can be found at whiting-turner.com
Project Consultants
PROJECT SCHEDULE
Schedule Issued 7/17/2015
Construction Fencing & Early Package Activities Start: July 2015
Site-work and Bulk Excavation Activities Start: January 2016
Concrete Foundation Activities Start: ~March 2016
Structural Steel Erection Activities Start: ~June 2016
Structural Steel Substantially Complete: ~September 2016
PSB Exterior Envelope Substantially Complete: ~December 2016
WES Exterior Envelope Substantially Complete: ~February 2017
Site Improvements & Landscape Activities Start: ~February 2017
Construction Activities Substantially Complete: ~January 2018
Final Completion & Occupancy: ~April 2018
Week: November 6th – 12th
Weather:
There was a unique opportunity to visit the construction site this week with the BCT 550 class. We were able to get an inside perspective on the construction and take many pictures, but also learn about aspects of the construction not visible from the outside. Special thanks to Professor Xiao for setting up the site visit.
The interior tour provided a lot of insight into the purpose of the building, as well as some of the unique challenges faced by the designers. There are 93 individual range hoods with vents to the roof. They do not come together at any point before they reach the outside exhaust, keeping dangerous chemicals contained. Also, the conduit for the many liquid and gas chemical sources, as well as electrical, was a serious design challenge. Wilson Architects made use of computer modeling software to design the conduit and exhaust vents, making sure there were not problems with the design before construction began.
The Physical Sciences Building will be home to an advanced microscope. This equipment is very sensitive to electromagnetism, so it is placed in the basement. Electrical equipment is located on the top floor of this building, called the Penthouse, instead of in the basement to keep it far away from the microscope. Stainless steel panels are placed and welded in around where the microscope will be positioned to insulate it.
