Payette's ECoRE Building at Penn State Wraps 280,000 Square Feet in Copper-Anodized Aluminum and Iron-Spot Brick
Payette has finalized the construction of the Engineering Collaborative Research & Education (ECoRE) building at Penn State University, a key component of its long-term master plan. This seven-story structure encompasses 280,000 square feet, housing nearly 50 research laboratories and 140 faculty offices. Its exterior showcases a unique folding design, incorporating copper-anodized aluminum panels alongside iron-spot brick masonry. The student plaza is linked by the west-facing entrance, while the north side is shielded from view using Endicott Clay's iron-spot brick. Additionally, the southwestern glass facade features an insulated triple-glazed system from Viraspan, achieving a 68% reduction in energy consumption compared to a Typical Lab/2030 baseline. The project was executed by a team including Studio NYL, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Arup, and others, with Whiting-Turner Contracting Company overseeing construction.
Key facts
- Payette designed the 280,000-square-foot Engineering Collaborative Research & Education (ECoRE) building at Penn State University.
- The seven-floor building contains nearly 50 research labs and 140 faculty offices.
- The facade features copper-anodized aluminum panels and iron-spot brick masonry with a reddish hue matching adjacent campus buildings.
- The project reduces energy use by 68% compared to a Typical Lab/2030 baseline.
- Minnesota-based Viraspan supplied the insulated triple-glazed glass with custom frit for the southwestern face.
- Nebraska-based Endicott Clay provided the iron-spot brick for the north-facing facade.
- The project shifted from a stick-built to a unitized curtain wall system due to pandemic restrictions, allowing remote fabricators.
- Payette worked with Studio NYL from design development through construction on the folded metal and glass facade.
Entities
Institutions
- Payette
- Penn State University
- Engineering Collaborative Research & Education (ECoRE)
- Lamar Johnson Collaborative
- Arup
- Herber, Rowland, & Grubic, Inc.
- Available Light
- Vantage Technology Consulting Group
- Acentech
- Surface Matter Design
- Code Red
- Studio NYL
- Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.
- Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
- R.A. Kennedy
- Mohawk Construction & Supply Co.
- Metalwërks
- Endicott Clay Products
- Viraspan
Locations
- Penn State University
- Engineering West campus precinct
- Minnesota
- Nebraska