1. B10
Marquette University Engineering Hall
1637 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee
T
hankstothenew120,000-square-
foot, $50 million Marquette Uni-
versity Engineering Hall, the old
model of crowded study areas, secluded
labs and drab classrooms is a thing of
the past. Now, by design, all the ac-
tivities for an engineering student flow
together in an open, integrated space
that is changing the way engineering is
being taught.
The predominant features of windows
and clear glass walls allow high visibil-
ity between classrooms and labs, allow-
ing students and faculty to literally see
what’s going on around them. Even the
building’s outer walls are made largely
of glass.
“The idea of transparency was a big
issue for the school,” said site proj-
ect manager Ben Baenen of The Opus
Group. Opus, based in Minnetonka,
Minn., with an office in Milwaukee, was
the architect of record for the engineer-
ing building.
By mixing together classrooms, labs
and faculty offices on every floor, the sense of
open learning and teaching is heightened even
more. And by deliberately exposing the beams,
pipes and duct work that make a building work,
the structure itself serves as a learning tool.
“Today’s world engineering problems are go-
ing to be solved by collaboration, and everything
about this building is meant to encourage col-
laboration and interaction,” said Marquette Uni-
versity architect Thomas Ganey.
The additional lab space affects how students
are being taught.
“This building allowed the college to change
its curriculum and make it more hands-on,” said
Ganey. “Whereas, the curriculum used to be more
classroom-oriented, now, because of the facilities
here the focus is more lab-intensive training.”
More lab space also benefits the Marquette En-
gineering Outreach Program, which invites high
school students and prospective engineers to
come in and get some early hands-on training.
Fully funded by cash donations from more than
3,200 donors, the first two floors of Engineering
Hall opened in August 2011. All five floors will be
fully occupied and operational by next August.
Pulling together financing was no easy task,
given the economic climate of the last few
years. As originally approved in 2006, the proj-
ect called for construction of a $100 million,
250,000-square-foot building. By 2008, $35
million was raised through the donations, but as
tough times hit in 2009 everything had to be put
on hold. The decision eventually was made to go
ahead, but in a two-phase program.
In March 2010, Marquette broke ground on the
current “Phase 1” building with the $35 million
collected, and faith that an additional $15 mil-
lion would be raised during construction. If that
didn’t happen, the college was prepared to leave
the top three stories unfinished and unoccupied
until cash funding was raised. But funding came
through and now, two years after groundbreak-
ing, all five floors will be up and running later
this year.
“It was like keeping a moving target under
control,” said Baenen of the revisions and delays
necessitated by the funding challenges.
Plans are drawn up for a second engineering
building to be built next door, but again, ground-
breaking for Phase II is pending private dona-
tions.
— Kent Stolt
Project credits
OWNER/DEVELOPER:
Marquette University
GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
The Opus Group Inc.
ARCHITECT/ENGINEER:
Opus AE Group Inc.
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
ARCHITECT:
Thomas Ganey
LEAD LEGAL COUNSEL:
Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren SC
SUBCONTRACTORS:
The Grunau Co., Staff Electric
Co., Omni Glass & Paint,
International Concrete Products,
Construction Supply & Erection,
C.W. Purpero Inc.
PROJECT COST:
$50 million
PHOTO BY CANTON PHOTOGRAPHY
BEST NEW
Higher Education
Development or Renovation
THE BUSINESS JOURNAL / milwaukee.bizjournals.com APRIL 20, 2012 / REAL ESTATE AWARDS
2012
PHOTO BY CANTON PHOTOGRAPHY