With numerous complex stages of implementation, construction on a building as technically advanced and educationally accommodating as California State University, Dominguez Hills’ (CSUDH) Science and Innovation Building takes time, as well as the patience of those eager to teach and learn in it.
Fortunately for all, construction on the $82 million, 91,000-square-foot instructional and research center is on schedule to be completed in October 2019. Faculty move-ins and tours for prospective freshmen will begin as early as spring 2020, with the building’s official opening planned for fall 2020.
The Science and Innovation Building is in an “exciting new phase,” according to Philip LaPolt, dean of the College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences. He said that faculty are meeting with laboratory designers and the CSUDH’s Department of Facilities Planning, Design and Construction to finalize the lists of equipment that will be going into the new science complex.
“The faculty in chemistry, biochemistry, and physics are very excited. There is ongoing collaboration and consultation between the faculty and staff and the architects and contractor to constantly provide information and feedback,” said LaPolt, who has attended each planning meeting with the construction crew since work began. “It’s exciting for everyone to see construction proceeding and walls going up, and through this collaborative effort we’re making sure the building meets the needs of our faculty, staff, and students for years to come.”
Toyota USA Foundation donated $4 million to support the design, construction, and equipment for the Toyota Center for Innovation, which will be housed inside the science building and include a fabrication laboratory, labs for K-12 teacher demonstrations and training, SMART classrooms, collaborative workspaces, and an outdoor workspace.
Designed by Los Angeles base architects, HGA, the three-story science hub, which broke ground in September 2017, will include more than 30 classrooms and labs, all geared toward training students for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The exterior of the Science and Innovation Building will feature a blue and gray façade with a “decoded DNA strand” design in the paneling. It will connect through a pair of catwalks to the existing Natural Sciences and Mathematics Building, and will be a resource-efficient “green” building that is eligible for LEED Gold certification.
CW Driver is the contractor building the state-of-the-art science complex. The company will also build CSUDH’s new Innovation and Instruction Building, starting in February 2019 with the demolition of the Small College Complex.
“Building a science building is a challenging undertaking. There are a lot of unique utilities that need to be installed, like chemical fume hoods and cold rooms where they store chemicals, and an incredible amount of intricate ductwork, electrical, and plumbing,” said Kyle Maddux, an assistant project manager for CW Driver. “The professors and students won’t see a lot of that hard work, but they sure will benefit from it. This is going to be an incredible science building.”
