New Texas A&M Laboratory Building To Connect Science, Architecture And Art

Construction on a building to house more than 30 science labs and interdisciplinary art studios was unanimously approved during Thursday’s regular meeting of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.

Construction on the more than 140,000-square-foot Instructional Laboratory & Innovative Learning Building (ILSQ) is expected to begin this fall, with expected completion in fall 2022. Students will begin learning in the ILSQ’s 20 general chemistry labs, eight organic chemistry labs, eight interdisciplinary art studios and collaborative study spaces and maker spaces in spring 2023. The roughly $100,000,000 facility will complement the newly opened Innovative Learning Classroom Building nearby the ILSQ’s projected home west of Wellborn Road, south of Old Main Drive, in College Station.

“We deeply appreciate the support of the Board of Regents and Chancellor Sharp as we modernize our chemistry laboratories for both general and organic chemistry,” said Texas A&M Provost and Executive Vice President Carol A. Fierke. “The facility is designed to elevate laboratory and learning space for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors. In addition, we will uniquely pair arts and sciences in a new learning environment by including maker spaces with specialized equipment support and eight interdisciplinary art studios — blending innovation with science, art and the considerable energies of our outstanding students and faculty.”

Texas A&M President Michael K. Young said the ILSQ will be an excellent addition to the university’s many state-of-the-art buildings that promote student success.

“This new lab building is the latest example of Texas A&M’s immense investment in spaces that have the power to transform the educational experience for our students,” Young said. “By serving as a hub for disparate disciplines, it will also be a catalyst for interdisciplinary discovery, leading to innovative solutions for societal challenges.”

The ILSQ addresses and serves Texas A&M’s growing enrollment and interest in science and engineering majors, including agriculture and life sciences, engineering, health sciences, chemistry and other areas of study, university officials said. Additionally, enrollment growth in the College of Architecture prompted the university to boost studio space and pair interdisciplinary makerspaces with science facilities to encourage interdisciplinary and creative problem-solving and design-thinking methodologies.