Mechanical Engineering Building project progresses

Artist's conception of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Building renovation and expansion as seen from Engineering Drive. (32K JPG)

The project that will yield the college a new Mechanical Engineering Building has progressed over the summer. Representatives of the college and UW-Madison have been meeting with the architectural team for the project to design the building. The final design is expected by the end of 2002.

Dean Paul Peercy and college staff, along with members of the architectural design team, visited Georgia Tech last spring to tour their engineering buildings for ideas. The buildings included those built in the 1980s, 1990s and today. "It gave us a sense of how building techniques have changed over time," said Peercy. "We came away with some good ideas about building long-range flexibility into the building. We live in an era of rapid technological change. If we build our facility to accommodate changing research programs it will remain robust well into the future."

One of the most exciting aspects of this project is that it will essentially be an entirely new building, said Peercy. "This project is retaining the historic façade, but the rest of the building will be new within that façde. It will mean that our mechanical engineering and industrial engineering programs will have cutting-edge, 21st century facilities for research and teaching."

The college must still raise funds toward the required $10 million private match of state funds to support the project.

For more information, contact:

Lance Cavanaugh, 608/265-9562,
lance.cavanaugh@uwfoundation.wisc.edu

Deb Holt, 608/263-0779,
deb.holt@uwfoundation.wisc.edu

Carrie McGinley, 608/263-5129,
carrie.mcginley@uwfoundation.wisc.edu