Like chemical scientists, the architects decided to experiment. They combined the latest trends in modern architecture and high requirements for the educational building: they took into account all kinds of technical wishes related to the location of the laboratory, tried to reduce energy costs.
Most of the building with an area of 24 thousand m2 is glazed. Transparent ceilings and large windows provide natural light. The facades are composed of 2,100 high quality glass panels mounted on an aluminum frame. They are protected from overheating by aluminum sun screens. Also used in the building are granite and maple wood.
The central atrium, connecting the two main wings of the building, and the largest auditorium are named after Edward C. Taylor, Princeton professor of chemistry. He worked with the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly to develop an anti-cancer drug. Part of the proceeds from the licensing of the drug went to the construction of a new building for the Faculty of Chemistry.
The glass ceilings of the atrium protect the solar panels installed on them as screens from excessive heat. Other green elements of the project include a rain and waste water management system, sensors that provide natural ventilation and energy savings, and much more.
The university is the place where people communicate first and foremost. Successful interaction between students, teachers and researchers is the dream of any university. Therefore, the educational building is planned in such a way that any communication, formal or casual, was convenient and pleasant. Open spaces, an abundance of light contribute to increased creativity, call for interdisciplinary collaboration.
The glass facades of the building reflect the forests surrounding the university and the landscapes of the adjoining valley, which also allowed the building to blend into the landscape. The new building of the Faculty of Chemistry is the first to come to the eye of anyone coming to the Princeton University campus, so it also plays an important role as a gateway to the world of science.
