Old Dominion University, Chemistry Building

Old Dominion University's Chemistry Building houses the university's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in a 110,500-square-foot facility designed to advance scientific discovery and learning. The building consolidates operations previously scattered across 28 campus locations into a single, comprehensive research and learning center.

Meeting Educational Needs

As Virginia's second-largest producer of STEM-H graduates, ODU required expanded facilities for its chemistry programs. Rather than renovating the original 40,000-square-foot Alfriend Chemistry Building from 1966, the university constructed a new facility on an underutilized campus site. This decision enabled the creation of advanced laboratories and research spaces that align with current scientific practices.

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Scientific Principles in Design

The building's architecture incorporates scientific principles into its visual elements. Drawing inspiration from emission spectra—the unique light signatures of elements—the design incorporates distinctive features throughout the facility. Custom wall coverings and light fixtures display chemistry motifs, while hexagonal patterns reflect molecular structures. The exterior brickwork references the periodic table, and a custom LED wall panel at the planetarium entrance recreates constellation patterns. In a distinctive touch, the elements oxygen, dysprosium, and uranium combine their spectral lines to spell "ODU" on a feature wall.

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Enhanced Collaboration and Learning

The facility's design emphasizes accessibility and interaction. Students enter through a bright two-story commons area with a monumental staircase. Study spaces equipped with sliding glass marker boards and whiteboards accommodate group work and discussion. Large interior windows offer views into research laboratories, highlighting the collaborative nature of chemical research at ODU.

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Purposeful Layout

The building's floor plan supports students' progression through the chemistry curriculum. First-year students access all essential resources—classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, and tutoring services—on the first floor. This integrated design helps new students navigate their academic experience efficiently. Second-floor facilities serve sophomore-level studies, featuring organic chemistry laboratories with individual glass-enclosed fume hoods that merge safety with visibility. Upper floors contain research spaces where juniors, seniors, and graduate students work alongside faculty members.

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The Michael and Kimthanh Lê Planetarium

The facility includes a 122-seat digital theater that functions as a chemistry lecture hall, seminar space, and public planetarium. The theater's advanced dual-laser projection system illuminates a 49-foot dome in 4K resolution, offering sixteen times the pixel density of the previous campus planetarium. This technology allows professors to project three-dimensional molecular structures alongside notes and videos, creating an encompassing learning environment.

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Engineering for Safety and Sustainability

The building's engineering systems balance safety requirements with environmental efficiency. The infrastructure includes 17 miles of mechanical and plumbing piping, 108 fume exhaust hoods, and three custom rooftop air-handling units. Each air handler pairs with a dedicated laboratory exhaust fan array, optimizing energy recovery while ensuring reliable operation. Two natural gas generators support essential systems, including fume hoods, analytical instruments, and emergency power needs.

The facility's environmental commitment extends beyond its walls through an expansion of ODU's central utility plant, which now serves multiple campus buildings efficiently. These combined efforts have earned the building LEED Gold certification, demonstrating that advanced laboratory facilities can achieve high environmental performance standards.

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Supporting Scientific Achievement

ODU's new Chemistry Building strengthens the university's dedication to advancing STEM education and research. With advanced laboratories, collaborative spaces, and comprehensive technological infrastructure, the building provides students and faculty with resources to conduct significant research while preparing future scientists for success in their fields.