Milwaukee, WI – Eckstein Hall, the new home of Marquette University Law School, was dedicated in a September 8 ceremony. US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia gave the keynote address to 1,500 assembled guests, including all seven members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Other speakers included Wisconsin Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson and Marquette President Fr. Robert Wild. In his remarks, Fr. Wild said, “The architecture is splendid; the facilities rise above even our most hopeful expectations, and most important, the many wonderful features of this building will ...[more]

As seen in this short video produced by Marquette University, the Law School’s new home at Eckstein Hall provides a cornerstone for its advancement of Jesuit legal education.

Just as pedagogical and learning styles have evolved, the design of buildings that support learning are changing, too, from environments with static formulas for space layouts to those that support active dynamic learning.

A primary goal in designing a learning environment is not only to support the activities that take place within it but to encourage the activity and make it visible to those who enter the environment. This idea of taking down boundaries helped accomplish that.

For Eckstein Hall at Marquette Law School this was taken forward with the idea that the law ...[more]

In a celebration today attended by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and other dignitaries, the Atlanta University Center (AUC) rededicated the renovated Robert W. Woodruff Library, unveiling its interactive and technology-rich 21st century learning environment.

Shepley Bulfinch’s completion of the first phase of this major renovation included more than 130,000 square feet of the Woodruff Library’s 220,000 square foot facility. The renovation replaced many solid interior walls with glass panels, drawing natural light deep into the space.

The inviting and dynamic main floor, with its media creation and presentation space ...[more]

I’ve attended many trade shows over the years and the Lighting Expo in Frankfurt in April was one of the most extraordinary examples of product design innovation I’ve seen.

If there was a theme this year it was that the future of lamping is LED. That said, it soon became obvious that all LEDs are not equal and that new lamping technologies, while progressive, are not yet the answer for all lighting. Issues like overall performance, color rendering, glare, dimming, and life expectancy still need to be carefully evaluated in the selection ...[more]

Janette Blackburn and Joe Rondinelli discuss the changing roles and forms of libraries in the March 2010 issue of Building Design & Construction. In the article, they discuss how, as readers needs change and libraries accommodate more diverse uses, space, flexibility, and acoustical control play increasingly important roles.

The Evolving Library – Building Design & Construction

DURHAM, NC – Duke Law School’s new Star Commons has been recognized for its highly sustainable design and operations, receiving LEED certification from the US Green Building Council. The light-filled Star Commons is highly energy-efficient, with vapor barriers for heat conservation and high-performance glazing. Great care was taken to recycle a high percentage of construction debris from the project, which also emphasized the use of materials low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The 4,000 s.f. Commons was part of a larger addition and renovation project for the law school, which included a renovation of ...[more]