Case Western Reserve University - Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building

Research Building to Catalyze Collaborations and Breakthroughs

The Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building (ISEB) at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) will be a new transformative building that aligns with the University’s strategic goals to bring CWRU to international prominence as a research institution.

Research disciplines within the ISEB will include chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as engineering programs such as biomedical, computer science, and mechanical engineering research. Researchers will be able to continue their modern-day explorations in this new state-of-the-art facility. The efforts to bring research to the forefront of innovation will allow faculty, students, and businesses alike to partner with CWRU on revolutionizing technology.

The building will significantly increase opportunities for critical teaching, research, and overall campus collaboration. The new facility will support wet, dry, and damp research environments that are both flexible and adaptable—and is designed to break down barriers. Research environments and social spaces are interwoven strategically into the ebb and flow of the ISEB, allowing users to seamlessly interact in an inspiring environment where people move freely and collaborate often.

The new ISEB will create a dynamic, new vision for Case Western Reserve University.  As a campus gateway, MLK Drive reimagines an important campus edge as a dynamic and transparent face encouraging users on the Case Quad to explore within. The ISEB also presents a new image—more open, transparent, and green—to the Cleveland community, serving as a bridge that welcomes residents and off-campus students.

While the ISEB will be a bold modern presence on Quad, it is designed to fit into its campus context. The ISEB is sited to allow for an accessible, landscaped gateway forming a vista toward the historic Adelbert Hall. The tallest portions of the ISEB site adjacent to its largest neighbor—Wickenden Hall. And the new building steps down as it nears the lower-scale Tomlinson Hall.

Art in public spaces has been integral to the design of interior and exterior spaces on the CWRU campus through the mission of the University’s Putnam Collection. The ISEB will incorporate art in both traditional and unexpected ways. This furthers CWRU’s goal for the building to invite in and engage with the greater community.