Renewal and Transformation: Building
on the Past
High-Priority Renovations in the UCLA Engineering Complex
Since it was established in 1945, the UCLA Henry
Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has been at
the vanguard of dramatic changes in technology and the emergence
of new disciplines, transforming research and scholarship as we
know it. But UCLA Engineering can maintain its preeminence only
with an infrastructure that accommodates technological change.
Boelter Hall, which was built more than 40 years
ago, is the site of several proposed modernization projects that
would facilitate 21st-century research while also recognizing
the School’s past accomplishments.
Common Areas
One such renovation would be to build glass-enclosed commons above
3400 Boelter Hall and others adjacent to courtyard walkways that
would serve as meeting areas and promote communication among faculty
and students. Ground-floor renovations to the south side of the
building would create a much-needed receiving area, laboratory
and office space, and additional meeting and conversation areas.
Suite Renovation
Two of the departments now housed in Boelter Hall will relocate
to the Engineering I Replacement Building when it is completed.
In the vacated space, faculty suites would be renovated to accommodate
modern, collaborative research, thereby helping to recruit and
retain outstanding faculty in computer science and chemical engineering.
Engineering Museum
Another innovative project in the planning stages is the creation
of a museum in the lobby area that would showcase the School’s
stellar research accomplishments and other key milestones in its
history. Such achievements include designing, building, and testing
the first node of the Internet; developing the first reverse osmosis
plant; and pioneering RF CMOS, micro- and nanoelectromechanical
systems, and wireless sensors.
Class Photos
Plans are also under way to restore and rehang the class photos
damaged by the Northridge earthquake. The School’s class
photos, which have been sorely missed by faculty and students
alike, serve as a reminder of its illustrious past and a reflection
of its future. The photos – dating from the first class
in 1949 – will be restored and rehung in Boelter Hall.
The UCLA Samueli School of Engineering is building
on a rich history of scientific innovation and achievement to
create the advanced technologies of tomorrow.
For additional information on naming opportunities
associated with the renovations, please contact the Office of
External Affairs at 310/206-0678. |
