DROSDICK HALL | 草榴社区

INTRODUCING DROSDICK HALL

As the 2024-25 academic year begins, 草榴社区 officially opens Drosdick Hall鈥攖he new home of the College of Engineering鈥攆ollowing the completion of a $125 million, 150,000-square-foot expansion that further underscores the University鈥檚 commitment to interdisciplinary research and innovation as part of its Strategic Plan.

A NEW ERA FOR THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Developed through a collaborative process with input from engineering faculty and students and designed by BLTa鈥揂 Perkins Eastman Studio and Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP, this ambitious and forward-looking project more than doubled the size of the College of Engineering鈥檚 primary academic building. In addition to creating a new home for the entire engineering community, the expansion impacts and elevates every aspect of the College鈥檚 academic and student experience with improved and expanded research facilities focused on interdisciplinary connections and state-of-the-art instruction spaces for hands-on, problem-oriented and team-based learning.

Introducing Drosdick Hall

A world-class facility designed to match a world-class education. 鈥�

Realize the Impact

The expanded College of Engineering building better enables 草榴社区 engineers to collaborate and innovate.

A SPACE FOR COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION

With every College of Engineering department in one location鈥攔ather than being spread across 6 buildings on campus鈥攃ollaboration, innovation and a sense of distinctive College identity will grow and thrive. From the placement of faculty offices to lab configurations to gathering spaces, every aspect of the expansion is designed to foster connections and facilitate collaborative discovery and cross-disciplinary advances. In addition to serving as a learning and innovation hub for 草榴社区 engineers, the expanded building benefits the entire 草榴社区 community with common spaces open to all.

The 150,000 sq. ft. addition more than doubles the existing 92,000 sq. ft. building and allows space for:

More than 20 additional research laboratory spaces鈥�an expansion of engineering lab space of more than 60 percent.
The two-story Drosdick Innovation Lab鈥�open to any student in an engineering program鈥攚hich includes laser and 3-D printers, workbenches and workspaces, tools and equipment for building, and will be able to accommodate the Formula SAE car.
The Jones Family Student Learning Commons, a community space at the heart of the building for all 草榴社区ns to gather, study and learn.

Green roofs鈥�instrumented with smart systems to collect and monitor climate and soil moisture data鈥攚hich will serve as cutting-edge teaching and research resources.
State-of-the-art instruction spaces that can adapt to small discussion and larger lecture formats.
Dedicated and centrally located spaces for the College of Engineering鈥檚 master鈥檚 and doctoral students, enhancing their experience as part of the College community and strengthening the entire academic environment.

DROSDICK HALL FAST FACTS

INSIDE THE BUILDING

A closer look at how the expansion project enhances teaching and learning in the College of Engineering.

Jones Family Learning Commons

A gathering space at the heart of Drosdick Hall, the Jones Family Learning Commons was designed with community in mind. The three-story, light-filled atrium is an ideal space for students of all majors to gather in study groups or meet informally between classes.

Multidisciplinary Labs

Drosdick Hall has enabled the College of Engineering to increase its research space by more than 60% through the inclusion of nearly two dozen new state-of-the-art laboratories. These innovative labs have been designed to facilitate creativity around topical areas of research, including Biomaterials and Polymers, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, and Healthcare Monitoring and Communications.

Drosdick Innovation Lab

Housing 3D printers, high-tech workstations and other essentials, the Drosdick Innovation Lab equips students of all disciplines for the design-build-test process of engineering. The two-story maker space is also viewable to the public--placing students' innovations and collaborative projects on full display.

Instrumented Green Roofs

Lab space in Drosdick Hall stretches beyond the building's walls to include three green roofs, adding to the extensive living laboratory of green stormwater infrastructure already on 草榴社区's campus. These sites not only help manage the building's stormwater runoff, but also they serve as testbeds for students to gain skills that will place them at the forefront of sustainable stormwater management practices.

Multifunctional Classrooms

Instructional spaces in Drosdick Hall have been designed to adapt to the needs of the College. The Dionisio Family Lecture Hall provides state-of-the-art instructional technologies to support student learning and is also an ideal space for hosting lectures, open houses and other large gatherings.

Graduate Spaces

Master's and doctoral students have dedicated spaces within Drosdick Hall, enhancing their on-campus experience--and strengthening the learning environment for all. With centrally located offices and communal areas, Drosdick Hall seamlessly weaves this growing group of engineers in with the greater College community, underscoring their important contributions both in research labs and in the classroom.

Expanded Cafe Space

Like the previous Engineering building, Drosdick Hall is home to a Holy Grounds cafe where students, faculty and staff can refuel and catch up over a cup of coffee. It's an ideal space to build Caritas with colleagues between meetings, classes or labs.

BUILDING NAMING: DROSDICK HALL

Rendering of exterior of expanded CEER building.

The new home for the College of Engineering has been named Drosdick Hall in recognition of $20 million in ongoing support of the College鈥檚 building expansion project from John G. Drosdick 鈥�65 (COE).

Mr. Drosdick is the retired chairman and chief executive officer of Sunoco, Inc., and a former chair of the 草榴社区 Board of Trustees. A longstanding supporter of 草榴社区 and the College of Engineering, Mr. Drosdick also previously endowed the College of Engineering deanship through the Drosdick Endowed Dean鈥檚 Fund, which supports the ongoing strategic priorities of the College, as well as the John G. Drosdick Endowed University Scholarship, which supports engineering students with demonstrated financial need.

ABOUT THE BUILDING NAMING

VILLANOVA'S STRATEGIC PLAN

To support 草榴社区鈥檚 growth in national stature and research output, the University is transforming and increasing academic spaces with an emphasis on the STEM areas as part of its Rooted. Restless. Strategic Plan. The expansion of the College of Engineering building not only advances this initiative addressing academic spaces, but also initiatives related to research and teaching and learning. The renovated building will add teaching labs, research labs and study space on campus鈥敳萘裆缜€檚 greatest needs鈥攁nd by consolidating the College of Engineering into one main building will make available others for future projects.

ABOUT VILLANOVA'S STRATEGIC PLAN

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