Bold and innovative, Payette, a Boston-based architecture firm, has designed a striking new academic building at Penn State University known as ECoRE. This facility not only showcases a unique sculptural aesthetic but also features facades adorned with a warm palette of reddish brick and metal fins, making it stand out in the central Pennsylvania landscape.
ECoRE, which stands for the Engineering Collaborative Research and Education Building, is strategically situated within the university's engineering precinct, a comprehensive plan conceived by Payette itself. This precinct is designed to foster innovation and collaboration among students and faculty.
In addition to the ECoRE facility, Payette has also been responsible for another building in this precinct—the Engineering Design and Innovation Building, which was completed in 2023. Together, these structures form the core of the College of Engineering, with ECoRE acting as its primary hub.
Spanning a total area of 280,000 square feet (about 26,013 square meters), ECoRE includes five stories above ground and one below. The building is equipped with an array of modern facilities such as high-tech laboratories, classrooms, offices, and communal areas, along with a library and a café that cater to students’ needs.
The underground level is particularly interesting, housing specialized research spaces that include anechoic chambers, wind tunnels, flight simulators, and even a roto-craft ice-testing facility. This variety of spaces demonstrates the building's commitment to cutting-edge research and experimentation.
The design of ECoRE is roughly L-shaped, featuring multiple cuts and folds that give it a dynamic and modern appearance. Its structural framework combines steel and concrete, ensuring both stability and aesthetic appeal. The majority of the facades are clad in iron-spot brick, while the southeast elevation, which faces the main campus, is elegantly glazed and outfitted with copper-anodized aluminum fins—details that enhance its visual impact.
According to the design team at Payette, "With its folded form and articulated facade, the ECoRE Building defines the arrival to the new engineering campus." This southeast facade not only overlooks a bustling plaza but also serves as the main entrance to the building. Inside, visitors are greeted by the Vertical Commons, an impressive multi-level atrium designed to promote social interaction and study, illustrating the vibrant energy of the precinct and the new identity it establishes for the College of Engineering.
The building is tailored to accommodate five distinct engineering departments, promoting collaboration across various disciplines. Payette emphasizes that "the ECoRE Building realigns research into thematic groupings and emphasizes shared use and space optimization—an approach that will reshape the college's culture for decades." This forward-thinking layout reflects the differing height requirements of various spaces; for instance, laboratories require taller ceilings than typical office environments. To address this, the design team implemented a "skip-stop" strategy, allowing for flexibility in the arrangement of different spaces within the building.
Interior finishes enhance the sophisticated atmosphere of ECoRE, featuring elegant white oak wall panels, durable concrete flooring, and sleek metal railings that together create a contemporary yet inviting environment.
Payette's portfolio includes other notable projects, such as an academic building in Boston wrapped in ribbons of stainless steel and a V-shaped structure in Cambridge, Massachusetts, characterized by its green roofs and doughnut-shaped terrace. These designs showcase the firm’s commitment to innovation and creativity.
Photography capturing the essence of ECoRE is credited to Warren Jagger, who beautifully presents the building's striking features and surroundings.
