Point Loma Nazarene University Science Center (Sator Hall and Latter Hall)

Carrier Johnson + CULTURE

Project description

This 3,500-student university in San Diego, California - on a lush coastal campus is known for rigorous science programs and successful medical school placements. Recently the school dedicated a large science and academic center, almost 20 years in the making. This could be any university today, yet this is an evangelical Christian institution. Against stereotype, the work makes physical the school’s vibrant dialogue between scientific progress and biblical teachings, evolution and creation, spiritual enlightenment and human potential. The 13 new labs and classrooms are wrapped in insulating glass and smooth concrete, equipped inside for biology and chemistry classes. On its south exposure a feathered curve of perforated metal panels extends, embracing a grassy slope where students gather. Conceived for shade, the “environmental screen” is laser-cut with Greek letters alpha and omega, symbols with religious and scientific allusion. Filtered light streams through, suggesting a cathedral wall.