Student Affairs and Science Building

Montgomery College engaged Ziger|Snead to implement the next phase of the master plan for their Germantown Campus, which involves an addition and partial renovation to their existing Science and Applied Studies Building located in a prime location in the center of campus. The LEED-Gold designed building houses an interdisciplinary program including teaching laboratories, classrooms, offices, and informal learning spaces.

Client

Location

Montgomery County, MD

Size

100,000 sf

Completed

2020

Beginning with a robust programming and feasibility study, the design team was challenged to phase the renovation and addition in a manner that would allow continued operation of a significant portion of the building. The resulting concept creates a vertical separation and focuses the 100,000-sf renovation and addition on the new quad side. Working within the constraints of the existing structural system, the efficiently organized building houses an interdisciplinary program including teaching laboratories, classrooms, offices, and informal learning spaces. The building’s three levels and the campus’ two main quads are connected through a central spine and main stair.

Floor Plan

Deriving from the earth sciences and applied mathematics departments to be housed in the building, the architectural scheme evokes concepts of shifting tectonic plates. Long linear elements define large programmatic spaces leaving spaces in between for commons and informal gathering.