St. Thomas University’s New Schoenecker Center for STEAM Reflects Sustainability Values

By Lindsey Coulter

When leaders of St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minn., first embarked on the development of the Schoenecker Center for STEAM—a new facility to house additional space for the growing School of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences—they gave the project team some guiding principles: The facility had to reflect inclusivity, innovation, adaptability and connection. It also had to be sustainable.

Balancing these priorities and incorporating the University’s values was a welcome challenge for the design team of Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) of New York and the St. Paul office of BWBR. Together with McGough Construction of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the team celebrated the opening of the Schoenecker Center in February 2024. In its first year, the building has not only helped the University put those values into action, but it has also created a more cohesive and collaborative environment between academic programs and has earned LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Interdisciplinary Design 

The $110 million Schoenecker Center was developed through the University’s strategic planning process, which identified the need for new spaces for arts, media, sciences and engineering—programs that rarely overlap in more traditional academic settings. However, to make better use of funds and create efficiencies, University leaders envisioned bringing these programs into one building.

“Early in design and programming, it became clear that careful space planning would be critical to the project’s success, as the University sought to weave each unique curriculum of study together to maximize learning possibilities and outcomes for every student,” said Greg Fenton, AIA, director with BWBR and principal on the project. “We led University leadership to understand what spaces would be required as a minimum for the diverse program mix to succeed since the total need exceeded the square footage that was afforded.”

Ultimately the design team delivered a five-level, 130,000-square-foot, L-shaped building that features a tall atrium space at its hinge point, vertically uniting all program spaces. The horizontal spine offers double-height spaces for study and gathering. A secondary overlay of horizontal organization in the building’s wings gives each department a home base while still encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. In total, the building includes biology, chemistry, physics and robotics labs; a two-story engineering high bay; rehearsal and performance spaces for the music program; a newsroom; art studios and an art gallery; a cafe and gathering/study spaces.

Many areas needed to be versatile to support varied uses throughout the year, so flexibility was key. Within many of the teaching labs, for example, casework and infrastructure was limited to the perimeter walls, allowing flexibility for the center of the space. The design team also worked hard to understand what was required of each area and to deliver optimized spaces through careful coordination, especially with considerations for acoustic design. The final design executed this vision in unique ways: civil engineering is next to art curation, music rehearsal is adjacent to geology, and television broadcast and sound studios were placed near material labs.

“As a person in a creative industry, it’s always interesting to me when universities, through the organization of their facilities and the adjacencies they create, provide these moments where people in different disciplines can really inspire each other,” said Melissa Del Vecchio, FAIA, partner at RAMSA.

Del Vecchio, who worked alongside RAMSA colleagues Graham Wyatt and Kasey Tilove, added that the position and orientation of the Schoenecker Center were also critical to building a literal and metaphorical bridge between the old and the new. The building’s L shape mirrors the older O’Shaughnessy Building (which also houses science programs), and the two structures were connected via a multi-level transparent bridge to create a greater sense of cohesion between the spaces.

“Often, people ask me if anything surprised me about the project when it was complete, and if anything, it’s the bridge element,” Del Vecchio said. “It helps to make those existing science buildings feel fluidly connected to the new spaces—and helps occupants of the older building feel like the amenities in the Schoenecker Center are also amenities for them.”

Intentional Interiors

To determine the building’s interior aesthetic, RAMSA and BWBR met with student groups to discuss colors, furnishings and finishes and what the students needed in their academic and study spaces. While the building houses more industrial disciplines, students advocated for soft and warm physical spaces and furnishings. As such, the interiors include bright whites balanced with warm wood tones and the school’s signature purple.

Students also asked for ample natural light and views to the outdoors, which complemented the University’s desire for visibility into academic spaces. In response, the design team incorporated transparency inside and out via ample glazing. For example, the choral performance space is completely transparent from the north to the south side of the building.

“It’s a pretty deep building, and the fact that we could get the penetration of natural light completely across the floor plate, so that wherever you are you have a really good sense of natural light and where you are relative to the exterior, was tricky,” said Del Vecchio. “We went through a lot of different options to find the combination of spaces that would allow this, and it turned out to be very effective.”

Incorporating the engineering high bay also offered an opportunity for the design team to get creative and put edu cation on display.

“(The high bay) is not the kind of asset that’s usually available to undergraduates. So, it’s a unique thing that the University is providing,” Del Vecchio said.

For maximum functionality in the highly technical space, which even includes a working bridge crane, the design team incorporated a 4-foot-thick concrete strong wall and a strong floor as well as a large bay door, ensuring the space can be accessed by concrete- and steel-delivery trucks.

However, the programs and spaces were organized in such a manner that the heavy machinery does not impact things like fluid dynamics studies in the science and engineering labs or interrupt recordings in the television studio, musical practice rooms, or other areas that require noise control and specific acoustics.

“(The project) demonstrates that with a strong vision, seemingly diverse programs can indeed be together and work together to equal more than the sum of the parts,” Fenton said.

The design team also ensured that a significant artifact—a remnant of the Interstate 35W bridge—was given a place of honor in building’s atrium. The bridge collapsed over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis in 2007. Thirteen people were killed in the bridge failure, and another 145 people were injured. The engineering artifact now serves as a reminder to engineering students of their education’s critical nature in developing spaces and structures that will safeguard health and safety.

Going for the Gold

This sense of responsibility and care for community also extends to the University’s broad focus on and the definition of sustainability.

“Sustainability has become embedded within our culture across the University, and the Schoenecker Center is a prime example of our teams coming together to develop creative solutions that drive our sustainability goals forward,” said Jim Brummer, vice president for facilities management, in a statement.

To achieve LEED Gold certification, the project incorporated numerous sustainable features, including highly efficient HVAC systems, LED lights with an integrated control system and exterior lighting fixtures designed to reduce light pollution. The project also introduced a 241,000-gallon underground cistern that will collect rainwater to be reused for greywater irrigation. The cistern has already reduced the building’s outdoor water use by 100%, while low-flow fixtures have reduced indoor water use by 38%.

The well-insulated envelope and roof and a new energy-optimizing central utility plant help reduce overall energy consumption. Additionally, 76% of regularly occupied spaces offer quality views of nature. The use of durable, sustainable materials—such as terrazzo, concrete and wood—create a warm, yet industrial atmosphere while reducing the building’s environmental impact. The cumulative effect of these resource-conserving systems is expected to save the University more than $100,000 annually.

The project also received innovation credits by factoring in social equity and inclusion, as the organization of programs helps make a more diverse range of students aware of career opportunities in STEAM.

“Since the building is home to many majors, we wanted students in every program to feel welcomed, included and inspired to collaborate across disciplines,” said Fenton, who worked with BWBR colleague Brian Lapham, AIA, senior project manager on the project. “The collection of spaces demonstrates an incredible and unique University vision, allocation of precious resources, and long-term investment in not only science but also arts education.”

The facility also earned LEED points for integrating EV charging stations, using local building materials and endeavoring to reduce construction waste. The accomplishment builds on the University’s commitment to obtaining a minimum of LEED Silver certification for all new construction that exceeds 25,000 square feet. The campus is already home to the LEED certified Schoenecker Hall North and Frey Hall, and with the completion of the underconstruction Anderson Arena, the University will soon comprise nearly 1 million square feet of high-performing, LEED certified spaces.

“Pursuing sustainable building practices just makes sense for us at St. Thomas,” said John Silva, the university’s director of construction, in a statement. “Whether it’s reducing our carbon footprint, providing a better environment for staff and students, or helping reduce energy consumption and operational costs, it just makes sense—and it’s also the right thing to do.”

Designing new buildings for LEED certification is part of the University’s larger plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035. Over the past decade, St. Thomas has reduced carbon emissions by 51% by implementing a variety of energy-conservation measures in new and existing buildings. In 2024, the University was also honored with its second STARS gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Project Team:

Design Architect: RAMSA

Architect of Record, Lab and Science Planner: BWBR Construction Manager: McGough

Lighting Design: Buro Happold

Landscape Architect: Damon Farber

Engineering, Planning and Design Consultant: ESI Engineering

Acoustic Design: Jaffe Holden

Civil Engineer: Kimley Horn

Structural Engineer: Palanisami & Associates

Building Performance Consulting Engineer: RWDI

Design Assist: Salas O’Brien

Technology Consulting: True North Consulting

This feature originally ran in the January/February Digital Edition of School Construction News.