The Natural Science Center at Northern Kentucky University is the signature component of a major expansion and capital improvement campaign undertaken to respond to the University’s growing role as a regional center for higher education. With a total project cost of $38 million, this facility represents the University’s largest investment in a single building since the University’s founding.

Northern Kentucky University was conceived as a “hilltop enclave,” modeled after Italian hill towns, and includes numerous buildings that expressively use concrete as both a structural and finish material. The design team responded to this context by using concrete as the frame for the building, both literally and conceptually. The Natural Science Building also acknowledges the new directions undertaken by the University by adding progressive modular metal panels, which reflect the embedded technology and a forward-thinking perspective.