Walking on the cobblestone pathways near the waterfall outside of the Life Sciences Building (LSB) and taking in the sunshine as it reflects off the building’s myriad windows interspersed among the red bricks, it’s hard to imagine BYU without this iconic structure. Yet, the building known as the south gateway to campus is just now celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Before the LSB was built, the College of Life Sciences was housed in the John A. Widtsoe Building. Constructed in 1968, the building was beginning to show its age. Its glass pipes, though visually striking, were leaking, and the building wasn’t seismically sound. In addition, there were no spaces in the Widtsoe Building that were conducive to the collaborative group learning environment required for the research and study of the life sciences. “We know from years of research that students need to collaborate, and not just students with students,” explains James P. Porter, a former dean of the College of Life Sciences. “There wasn’t a place where a professor could say, ‘Let’s go over here and sit down and talk about what we’re doing.’” These and many other factors led to the decision to construct a new building for the college.
Building Blocks of Collaboration
The process of designing the building was a team endeavor. After months of researching modern laboratory building designs and conducting focus groups, a team of BYU employees, including former dean Rodney J. Brown and former associate dean Alan R. Harker, put together a lengthy architectural document outlining everything they wanted the new building to be. Their plans included mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and laboratory parameters among many others. The beautiful flora and waterfall that comprise the landscape surrounding the building were also carefully crafted with the life sciences in mind. All of this was meticulously outlined before an architect was selected.
Porter and his assistant dean John Lee then began to work with BYU facilities, Tim Thomas from Architectural Nexus, and Okland Construction to tackle all the logistics of constructing a building that matched the college’s vision. They wanted a building that inspired curiosity and discovery. From the beginning, one of the main goals for the new building was to include open and inviting spaces that fostered collaboration. Thomas and his firm designed a building reminiscent of a mountain, with a river of glass that flows throughout it. After almost three years of planning, preparation, and construction, the LSB was completed.
Breathing Life Into the LSB
When it came time to move into the newly constructed LSB in June of 2014, students and faculty filled the building with energy and excitement. The state-of-the-art equipment, the open spaces that invite social connection and collaboration, the sunlight that streams inside through the strategically placed windows, and the vast lecture halls all inspired students to dive headfirst into their courses and research studies.
Thomas and his firm designed a building reminiscent of a mountain, with a river of glass that flows throughout it.
Many students and faculty were enthralled by the numerous windows in the LSB. Bathed in natural light, the hallways, conference rooms, and many other spaces showcase the majestic mountains through large glass panes. The windows make the building feel spacious, inviting, and close to nature. Dean Laura C. Bridgewater shares, “One of my favorite things about the LSB is that it’s filled with light. It makes me think of the Light of Christ, and the way that light fills us, surrounds us, and lifts our minds to higher and holier things.”
Careful thought was also put into the building décor. The college wanted what Porter described as “an atmosphere that’s calming and faith promoting.” Hand-selected artwork of the Savior fills the walls, and an evolution exhibit, more than 25 animal mounts, and other scientific displays can be found throughout the building. The hallways are also lined with thriving green plants on every floor. “The décor is a great representation of what occurs in the college,” says Katie Krumperman, a student employee in the college. “You can really see what the college is all about. It’s also very pretty to be inside.”
A Firm Foundation
Before construction could begin, the building site had to be carefully inspected. This inspection revealed that the ground wasn’t stable enough to hold a building during an earthquake. To remedy this, 2,700 two-foot-diameter holes were dug 40 feet deep and then pressure injected with a total of 32,000 tons of stone gravel to create reinforcing stone columns. This three-month process produced a firm foundation for the LSB.
In April 2015, the LSB’s spiritual foundation was also made sure when the building was dedicated by Russell M. Nelson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In his dedicatory remarks, Elder Nelson cemented the building’s dual obligation to facilitate scholarship by study and by faith. “Whether truth comes from a scientific laboratory or by revelation from the Lord, it is compatible. All truth is part of the everlasting gospel,” he said. “There is no conflict between science and religion. Conflict only arises from an incomplete knowledge of either science or religion—or both.”
“One of my favorite things about the LSB is that it’s filled with light. It makes me think of the Light of Christ, and the way that light fills us, surrounds us, and lifts our minds to higher and holier things.”
Scientific instruction in the college is interwoven with doctrinal truths, making the building a “temple of learning,” Porter says. “It’s a great place where students who sometimes are not sure about the interface between faith and science can come and be free to explore those questions and receive input and mentoring from faculty and staff who are strong believers in our Savior Jesus Christ.” Students can strengthen their testimonies of Christ while studying the life sciences as they witness His hand in all things down to the molecular level.
The LSB Today
The LSB continues to stand as a beacon for scientific learning and innovation. Just as Elder Nelson shared in his dedicatory prayer, the building is brimming with “inquiring minds who yearn to know more about [God’s] eternal and unchanging laws and doctrine.” Whether standing inside the LSB or strolling the breathtaking greenery, students and faculty alike are filled with a desire to learn about God’s creations and apply that knowledge in the service of humanity.