North Dakota State University’s new Sugihara Hall is a four-story laboratory-intensive building for the Departments of Chemistry and Geosciences that incorporates right-sized research labs with teaching labs, graduate student workspaces, classrooms, and a variety of student support and study spaces — all within an energy-efficient design.
Entering the project with facility options, the team determined during programming the most effective solution was to create a new home for science teaching and research by replacing the existing Geosciences Building and Dunbar Hall on a site north of the hall.
The new facility pairs advanced laboratory and research spaces with cross-departmental and campus connections to bridge academic interests and spur innovations with relevant research opportunities. The building includes more than 80 fume hoods, a new chemical storage room, proper chemical storage in the labs, and a new rock sample processing and storage. As part of the thorough planning that went into this build, a wind analysis was conducted at the site to ensure safe dispersal of lab exhaust would be possible with the new design.
