Beloit College announced that it has selected Studio Gang Architects to lead the conversion of a century-old power plant along the Rock River riverfront in Wisconsin.
The school’s board of trustees approved the selection on Saturday after a series of updates regarding the power plant’s sale from Alliant Energy to the college. If all goes well, the school said in a release that Alliant Energy would formalize a transition of the property in 2016.
The release reveals that a “selection committee comprised of Beloit trustees, staff, faculty, and students selected Studio Gang for their creativity, talent, vision, and care, but most of all—their enthusiasm for approaching this project as both collaborator and partner, learner and leader.”
According to designboom, the power plant will be converted into a recreation facility with a coffee shop, lounges, club rooms, a conference center, lecture hall, and theater.
In addition, a sporting facility will also be housed in the building, equipped with a three-lane track, eight-lane competition swimming pool with seating for 250 spectators, a 10,000-sf fitness center, and a 17,000-sf gymnasium.
Alliant Energy's Blackhawk Generating Station, here flanked (left) by Beloit College's Aldrich Residence Hall and Center for the Sciences (right). The cupola of the college's Middle College administration building is visible to the far right. Photo credit: Trevor Johnson.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Nov 29, 2020
Top 155 Architecture Firms for 2020
Gensler, Perkins and Will, and HKS Architects top the rankings of the nation's largest architecture firms for nonresidential and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Nov 29, 2020
Top 100 Architecture Engineering Firms for 2020
Stantec, HDR, and HOK head the rankings of the nation's largest architecture engineering (AE) firms for nonresidential and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Government Buildings | Nov 25, 2020
New Indiana Toll Road headquarters creates unified environment for staff
New LEED Gold facility consolidates operations for tollway authority.
Architects | Nov 24, 2020
AEC Leaders share lessons from past downturns
Positions of passivity and cost-cutting run counter to the key lessons from AEC leaders who successfully navigated their firms through past market downturns.
Smart Buildings | Nov 20, 2020
The Weekly show: SPIRE smart building rating system, and pickleball court design tips
The November 19 episode of BD+C's The Weekly is available for viewing on demand.
Transportation & Parking Facilities | Nov 13, 2020
BIG and Kilo-designed Pegasus Pod transports first Hyperloop passengers
The pod achieves Hyperloop travel at speeds over 1000km/hour.
Government Buildings | Nov 13, 2020
Tax shortfalls nip government projects in the bud
Federal contracts are proceeding, but states and cities are delaying, deferring, and looking for private investment.
AEC Tech | Nov 12, 2020
The Weekly show: Nvidia's Omniverse, AI for construction scheduling, COVID-19 signage
BD+C editors speak with experts from ALICE Technologies, Build Group, Hastings Architecture, Nvidia, and Woods Bagot on the November 12 episode of "The Weekly." The episode is available for viewing on demand.
Museums | Nov 5, 2020
The Weekly show: Designing cannabis facilities, Bob Borson's Life of an Architect, museum design
BD+C editors speak with experts from Cooper Robertson, Life of an Architect, and MJ12 Design Studio on the November 5 episode of "The Weekly." The episode is available for viewing on demand.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 30, 2020
The Weekly show: Multifamily security tips, the state of construction industry research, and AGC's market update
BD+C editors speak with experts from AGC, Charles Pankow Foundation, and Silva Consultants on the October 29 episode of "The Weekly." The episode is available for viewing on demand.