A large, 52-foot dome planetarium acts as the focal point of a new 87,000-sf STEM building being built at the heart of the Stephen F. Austin campus in Nacogdoches, Texas.
The STEM building, which was designed by Kirksey Architecture, is meant to be a landmark on the SFA campus with the goal of attracting “more STEM interest from potential students,” according to Steve Durham, Executive Vice President at Kirksey.
The new building will be linked with the existing chemistry, math, and science buildings via a landscaped science-themed corridor. In addition to its impressive 52-foot planetarium, the building will also include department administrative offices, collaborative classrooms, teaching and research laboratories, a large maker space with a machine and wood shop and an engineering lab, a rooftop terrace with telescopes, and various student spaces.
SFA anticipates the building will be open in the spring of 2018.
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