Computational Engineering Moves Into a New Era at Rice

CONTACT: Michael Cinelli

PHONE: (713) 831-4794
E-MAIL: mcinelli@rice.edu

COMPUTATIONAL ENGINEERING MOVES INTO NEW ERA AT
RICE
New Building Dedication Brings Resources Together Under Colorful
Roof

On Friday, Nov. 1, computational engineering at Rice
moves into a new era with the dedication of a state-of-the-art building which
will be named for a prominent Houstonian and Rice alumnus.

British architect John Outram designed the “occluded temple,” which completes
the southeast corner of the engineering quadrangle, advancing the system of
quadrangles detailed in the original campus plan by Ralph Adams Cram.

Dedication ceremonies start at 2 p.m. in the foyer of the Computational
Engineering Building. A ribbon-cutting ceremony, featuring small, computerized
robots, will officially open the facility to faculty, staff, students and
administrators involved in one of the nation’s fastest-growing areas of
research.

“The Computational Engineering Building rightfully takes its place as one of
the most impressive buildings on the Rice campus,” said E. William Barnett,
chair of the Rice University Board of Governors. “We should be extremely proud
of the building; proud of the people who designed and built it; and proud of the
faculty, Board members, and friends of this university who have made this
building possible.”

The CEB dedication marks the first of three new buildings which will become
part of the campus landscape during the next year. The additional facilities
demonstrate the university’s commitment to academic and research excellence as
the new millennium approaches, said Rice University President Malcolm Gillis.

“Each of the three new buildings, beginning with Computational Engineering,
consolidates and expands Rice’s already strong leadership in interdisciplinary
programs,” Gillis said. “With computational engineering, we are literally
building for the future. Computational engineering will impact the way that all
engineering is done, not just at Rice, but across the globe.”

Outram followed time-honored architectural principles of other campus
buildings with his use of classic St. Joe brick and other precast concrete
construction. The runs of brick are separated by wide mortar joints, lending a
softness to the building’s appearance, and, in keeping with Rice’s traditional
use of decorative and symbolic patterns in concrete and brickwork, the bricks
were selected in four colors and laid to portray geological strata.

A red tile roof completes the building’s harmony with the rest of the campus.

The 112,000-square-foot building will house the departments of computer
science, computational and applied mathematics, statistics, and electrical and
computer engineering.

Personnel will begin moving into the building during November. The building
will be fully occupied by mid-December.

“John Outram’s wonderful building will provide a stimulating environment
which will enhance our programs of teaching and research in computational
engineering,” said Michael Carroll, dean of the George R. Brown School of
Engineering. “Our students, faculty and staff eagerly anticipate occupying this
fine facility, which was made possible by the generous support of many
individuals and organizations.”

Glazed brick in blue-green and white frame the exterior balconies at the end
of the building’s four wings and depict the four platonic elements-fire, air,
earth and water-in the iconography of a different ancient civilization.

The southwest section is the Mayan wing. The ground floor of this wing, which
houses the undergraduate teaching lab, is separated from the building by an
arcade to permit round-the-clock access.

The west section is the Greek wing. The far west end of this wing is detached
from the building at the ground floor and serves as the administrative suite for
the School of Engineering.

The north wing takes its iconography from the Neoplatonic culture of the
European Renaissance. And the east, or Vedic, wing draws on images from Indian,
Iranian and Islamic architecture.

For computational engineers, the building will provide the latest in research
facilities and equipment.

“We have looked forward to having those departments, which are so involved
with computational engineering, in the same building for years,” said Sidney R.
Burrus, director of The Computer and Information Technology Institute. “This is
the realization of a dream in a wonderful way.”

“The CEB will provide outstanding facilities for research and collaboration
with industry and the community on the important computational problems that
face our nation today,” said Ken Kennedy, director of the Center for Research on
Parallel Computation. “In addition it will include wonderful new teaching where
the ideas of computational engineering can be passed on to students at all
levels.”

For more information about the Center for Research on Parallel Computation
(CRPC) and its role in CEB, follow this link CRPC,
http://www.crpc.rice.edu/CRPC/WhatsNew/pressRelease-CEB.html#collaboration.

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