News Highlights
Author:
Maha Al-Azar,
Media Relations Officer,
Office of Information and Public Relations,
ma110@aub.edu.lb
 Front page photo:
Construction of Scientific Research Building on site of former Corporation Yard parking lot
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A Campus Abuzz With Construction
 | AUB Museum 's major rehabilitation works
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Summertime is when the campus usually quietens down and students lounge lazily on the Green Oval or under the shaded arches of College Hall. It's when the buzz of students is almost drowned out by the rhythmic chirping of cicadas. But this summer, some heavy-duty activity is competing with the lulling cicada symphony, in the form of a multitude of construction projects that are expected to inject the campus with high-quality academic and recreational facilities.
More than ten construction and rehabilitation projects are currently underway and another five are in the pipeline, with all of them expected to be completed by 2009. A total of five new buildings will emerge on campus over the next four years. (See list below.) |
 | Van Dyck under renovation
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The projects will be carried out according to the 2002 Campus Master Plan which was carefully devised by a committee that included Lebanese and American architecture, research and engineering consultancies. The plan, which seeks to enhance the heritage, traditional values, and unique landscape setting of the AUB campus and mission, will be implemented through the Campaign for Excellence which aims to raise $140 million by 2006.
"All these projects are offspring of the Master Plan recommendations," said Samer Maamari, director of the Facilities, Planning and Design Unit (FPDU). "We are definitely enhancing the look and feel of the campus." |
 | Site of the new Hostler Center
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But the facelift would not be at the expense of function or the environment.
Indeed, all new construction will be made to blend in with the general character of the campus, while incorporating some of the latest innovations in energy-efficiency and technology. Maamari noted that buildings will be oriented to maximize light, minimize heating and cooling needs, while windows will be double glazed to reduce heat transfer. Moreover, there will be sensors to ensure that all lights are switched off once people leave the premises. Solar panels will also play a role in saving energy. And most importantly, for every tree that is knocked down at the various construction sites, 'many more will be replanted,' Maamari added.
Although the multiple construction projects are bound to cause some inconvenience to the AUB community, the administration has worked to minimize the discomfort.
First, the greatest cause of nuisance results from the vibrations and the noise caused by the digging which are usually scheduled for summer when campus activity is curtailed.
In any case, Vice President for Administration, George Tomey, appeased everyone that the bulk of the digging will be done before the beginning of the Fall semester.
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 | Sea side view of Olayan site
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Tomey added that while the Green Field will become inaccessible for about a year, due to construction works on the Hostler Center and the Olayan School of Business, the University will rent space at the Cite Sportive where people can go and practice the sports they love. Free shuttle buses will be made available three times a week to transport sports-lovers from the campus to the stadium and back.
In general, the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences, contends Tomey.
"We will be fulfilling students' and staff's dreams to have a state-of-the-art athletic center, high-quality labs and new learning and medical facilities," said Tomey.
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The main construction and rehabilitation projects:
FPDU Map |
| Ongoing:
Charles Hostler Student Center and Corniche frontage (new)
Olayan School of Business (new)
Scientific Research Building (new)
Building 56 (rehabilitation to house the Infirmary)
Building 23- Old OPD Private Clinics (rehabilitation)
Emergency Unit Rehabilitation (rehabilitation)
School of Nursing (rehabilitation of Alumni building)
Post Hall - Archaeology Museum (rehabilitation)
Faculty of Food and Agriculture Sciences Garden - Wings A and B (rehabilitation)
New Pilot Plant
In the pipeline:
Irani OXY Engineering Complex (reconstruction)
AUBMC - 4th and 8th floors (rehabilitation)
AUBMC - Standardization Manual (rehabilitation)
NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (rehabilitation)
Issam Fares Institute (new)
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