Norfolk State University (NSU) has reached the final stages of planning for its new Science facility and will ceremonially break ground in April. The campus addition comes as nearly 30% of overall student enrollment is pursuing a degree within the College of Science Engineering & Technology (CSET). Under the leadership of NSU President Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston and Dean of CSET Dr. Michael Keeve, the new 131,000 SF facility is a major step towards advancing the University’s efforts to upgrade its Research Status. The new Science Building is situated between the Rosa Parks Residence Hall and The Lyman Beecher Brooks Library on the campus of Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia.
Corner between the library and new science building.
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“Once I became Dean of the College of Science, Engineering Technology in 2018, we began working with a firm to start brainstorming and working on conceptual designs for the new science building”, says Dr. Keeve. “At that time, we were very much excited and made great progress until the pandemic hit which was followed by a change in Governor. Over the past couple of years, we have been able to resume planning, get feedback from students, secure funding approvals from the State Legislature, file for permits, and now plan to break ground in April of this year”.
Designed in collaboration between Work Program Architects (WPA) and SmithGroup, Norfolk State University’s new Science Building will be a cutting-edge facility dedicated to immersive science education, collaboration, and sustainability. The new four-story building will add to CSET’s building capacity as well as move some primary functions from the existing Roy A. Woods Science building.
“NSU has invested in significant renovations of the existing Roy A. Woods Science Building. That facility will remain once the new Science Building is complete ”. Dr. Keeve continued, “ This strategy will allow us to explore expanding our current programs such as in biotechnology & semiconductor research, introduce new graduate programs such as quantum engineering, as well as give us capacity as we continue to experience growth”.
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Photos Courtesy of Mike Wilkins.
The new Science Building will house the biology, chemistry, and physics departments. It will also house the Dozoretz National Institute For Mathematics and Applied Sciences (DNIMAS) Program. Key considerations in designing the new building included the need to address both the public entrance to the North at Gate 3, the student-focused entrance to the south on Greek Row, and allow for expansion of the future science quad. The design will also respect the presence of Lyman Beecher Brooks Library, by creating a beautiful and engaging outdoor educational environment along a day-lighted culvert for the Ohio Creek watershed. Here’s the quick rundown:
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New Science Building
Norfolk State University
| What’s Now: | Campus Green |
| What’s Next: | Academic Bldg. |
| Owner: | NSU |
| Architect: | Work Program Arch. |
| Smith Group | |
| Landscape: | VHB |
| Civil: | VHB |
| Height: | 4-Stories |
| Size: | 131,000 SF |
| Contractor: | SB Ballard |
According to the architect, the laboratories form the nucleus of the building, while the planetarium and greenhouse are clearly defined in the building’s exterior form. The space between each of the structure’s program pieces creates more opportunities for interaction. Some of the ground floor features include:
- Planetarium
- Greenhouse
- DNIMAS Honors Program
- STARS Learning Center
- Maker Space
- Science shop
- Classrooms
- Student study spaces
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“During planning meetings, it was important to us that the design of the new Science Building push the envelope for what was possible with current campus architecture. We wanted to showcase more of the “science” taking place on the inside and creatively showcase it on the outside of the building; offering more immersive experiences for the campus as we interact with the it”.
Dr. Michael Keeve, Dean CSET, Norfolk State University
Some of those elements include the planetarium, which also serves as an architectural accent. The façade of the planetarium continues from the inside of the building and wraps two sides on the exterior. The new facility will also house teaching and research labs, classrooms, offices, and a greenhouse, with an architectural focus on flexibility and community engagement. Other upper floor features include:
- Modular research and teaching labs arranged around a central support core for intuitive navigation
- Perimeter includes offices, classrooms, and collaborative study spaces, allowing for ample daylighting
- Faculty offices located near student areas to foster interaction and a sense of community
In addition to the Roy A. Woods Science Building, the College of Science, Engineering and Technology has programs housed in the Nursing & General Education Building, Mary V. McDemmond Center for Applied Research, which boasts ISO 5 and ISO 6 clean rooms, G.W.C. Brown Memorial Hall, and the William P. Robinson Sr. Technology Center building. A map of campus buildings is shown below for reference.
Norfolk State is planning the groundbreaking for the new facility in April 2025 with completion scheduled for July 2027.
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