A preliminary conceptual rendering shows the siting of a new engineering building, right, and additional green space. The view is from the Sciences Quad to the west across Brook Street.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — At its regular Commencement Weekend business meeting on Friday morning, May 23, 2014, the Corporation of Brown University approved siting of new academic buildings for the School of Engineering and the Division of Applied Mathematics, and formally accepted gifts to the University totaling more than $46.6 million, including more than $4 million in gifts for engineering and entrepreneurship.
Building sites for Engineering, Applied Mathematics
The Corporation approved siting of a new building for the School of Engineering to the west of the Barus and Holley Building, the existing engineering facility, along Manning Walkway, opposite Prince Engineering Lab, east of Brook Street. The architect selection process for the building is already underway. At its meeting today, the Corporation announced that the full fund-raising goal for the building had been achieved. The building is part of an ambitious plan to expand the facilities, faculty, and programs of the School of Engineering.
The Corporation also approved siting of a new building for the Division of Applied Mathematics to house faculty and graduate students relocated from buildings on the site of the new Engineering building. The building, to be designed by Architecture Research Office (ARO), will be sited along George Street near the primary home of Applied Mathematics at 182 George St., which will remain in service. The University has had a number of meetings with community members about the project and will ensure that the new Applied Mathematics building will be compatible with the residential character of the area.
Gifts accepted
By University policy, all gifts of $1 million or more require formal acceptance by the Corporation. At its Friday business meeting, the Corporation accepted or ratified previous acceptance of a number of gifts totaling more than $46.6 million. Those for engineering and entrepreneurship include:
- From Hugh W. Pearson, a 1958 graduate, a gift of $2,196,530, in addition to prior gifts, to establish the Hugh W. Pearson '58 Family Professorship in Technology and Entrepreneurship;
- From anonymous donors a gift of $1 million for expenses related to hiring an architect and producing plans for the School of Engineering's new building;
- From Howard M. Reisman, a 1976 graduate and Brown parent, a gift of $1 million to assist in the construction of the new Engineering building;