Engineering News-Record names Calatrava-designed academic building “Project of the Year”

Florida Polytechnic University’s 162,000-Square-Foot Innovation, Science and Technology Building Awarded Publication’s Top Designation

New York, NY (September 8, 2015) – Florida Polytechnic University’s state-of-the-art Innovation, Science and Technology Building, designed by Santiago Calatrava, has been named Engineering News-Record’s “Project of the Year”, the publication announced this week.

The Innovation, Science and Technology Building is the centerpiece of Florida’s newest state university, established in April 2012 to prepare Sunshine State students for a 21st century economy that rewards excellence in science, technology, engineering and math. While the entire 170-acre campus was designed by Mr. Calatrava, the 162,000-square-foot Innovation, Science and Technology Building sits at its heart and is at the core of both students’ academic and social lives.

Educating, particularly young people, is one of the most noble tasks that exist,” said Mr. Calatrava in response to the award. “The Innovation, Science and Technology Building aims to be itself a tool to achieve the highest level of education for young people." 

"In addition to that, I hope that this building will, in time, be seen as a visible symbol of the innovative spirit of the community, a gateway and become a stimulus to the newly emergent high-tech powerhouse economy of Lakeland and Polk County in Florida. The important awards received by the project thus far reassure me that, with good fortune, this could be the case.”

The Innovation, Science and Technology Building was the university’s first building to begin construction on the new campus as part of the school’s master plan. It is the University’s main classroom building, and includes 26 teaching labs and classrooms, 11 research labs, two seminar rooms, 17 group meeting rooms and an 11,000-square-foot common area. The building's curvilinear roof includes an intricate kinetic shading system that cools the structure depending on the location of the sun. The 250 foot long shading system employs a pair of kinetic wings made up of 94 aluminum fins which can move a total of 113 degrees. The building’s perimeter is surrounded by geometric pergolas that enliven the already-vibrant Central Florida campus.

The Innovation, Science and Technology Building, which broke ground in 2012, was constructed by Skanska USA. It finished $100,000 under budget.

Florida Polytechnic University sits along Interstate 4 halfway between Tampa and Orlando, and is integrated into Florida’s high-tech corridor that is home to aviation and aerospace companies, life sciences, medical and information technology firms and nanotechnology corporations.

 The judges panel included: Norman F. Anderson, President and CEO, CG/LA Infrastructure Inc.; Kai-Uwe Bergmann, Partner, BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group); Mike Loose, Senior Vice President, Parsons; Peter Willmott, Contracts Manager, Galliford Try; and Peter Zuk, Principal, Zuk International Inc.

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