University opens engineering facility

The LSU College of Engineering celebrated the grand opening of the Patrick F. Taylor Hall, which measures more than 400,000 sq ft and is the largest academic building in Louisiana and one of the largest freestanding engineering academic buildings in the United States.

By Louisiana State University (LSU) April 24, 2018

The LSU College of Engineering celebrated the grand opening of the Patrick F. Taylor Hall with a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by building tours and engineering student demonstrations.

The facility now measures more than 400,000 sq ft and is the largest academic building in Louisiana and one of the largest freestanding engineering academic buildings in the United States. It was designed by the architectural firms Perkins+Will and Coleman Partners and was constructed by The Lemoine Company.

It includes a 110,000-sq-ft chemical engineering building addition; state-of-the-art labs and gathering spaces like the driving simulation lab and Commons area; the William Brookshire Student Services Suite; the 250-seat RoyOMartin Auditorium; and the MMR Building Information Modeling (BIM) Lab, where students utilize virtual reality to analyze construction projects, make site assessments, etc.

"The resources we provide help ensure that, not only do our students receive the best engineering education possible, but that we prepare them for life after graduation and in the workforce," said Judy Wornat, dean of the College of Engineering. "I cannot wait to see how our students make the most of everything we have to offer."

"This is an exciting day for our engineering students, faculty, staff, and alumni and for LSU as a whole," said LSU president F. King Alexander. "I believe it shows the investment that we as a university and the state of Louisiana have made in our students and their future success, and it demonstrates LSU’s ongoing commitment to solving the biggest challenges facing our state, many of which can be solved through the education and research taking place in Patrick F. Taylor Hall."

As part of the Breaking New Ground campaign, $114 million was raised – $57 million from private contributions and a matching $57 million from the state. It is one of the largest public-private partnerships in Louisiana and the most successful fundraising effort by LSU to date.

"This success would not have been possible without the vision, the passion, the leadership and the persistence of our committee co-chairs, Phyllis Taylor and Harry Longwell, and that of Ron Cambre," said LSU executive vice president and provost Rick Koubek. "Their enthusiasm and energy, along with the other steering committee members and our donors, were resolute."

– Edited from a Louisiana State University (LSU) press release by CFE Media. See more Control Engineering education and training stories.