CannonDesign in association with Gould Evans designed the Earth, Energy, and Environmental Center at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.

The new Earth, Energy and Environment Center (EEEC) will be a central rallying point for energy and environmental learning and research on campus. Located adjacent to the existing Lindley Hall, the building is a figurative and literal bridge between basic and applied sciences, institution and industry, and researchers and community — striving to transform traditional academic barriers and create a dynamic environment for research teams and students. In addition, its technology transfer and outreach center will provide a public face to KU’s resources and expertise and link it to national and global industries.

The research activities within EEEC continues the building’s theme of bridging past and future with the physical and historical aspects of rock core analysis combined with emerging high-tech instrumentation and virtual reality. Technology is seamlessly integrated throughout the building, including in the “Edu-lobby,” which allows passersby to peer into active-learning studio lab environments and high-performance computing labs. Adaptable research labs are focused on unconventional research within the fields of geology and engineering including geo-microbiology, stable isotope geochemistry, chemistry of organic particles in unconventional hydrocarbon systems and tertiary oil recovery for new technologies to improve fractured reservoir extraction. The open laboratory concept of shared-use research platforms and transparency enable team-based research and develop new connections to industry while supporting inspiration for the next generation of students and discovery.

Architect: CannonDesign in association with Gould Evans
Photography: Steve Hall