Aeronautics + Engineering Building
Kent State University

In association with DS Architecture, JMT Architecture provided laboratory and classroom planning and design for the expansion of the College of Aeronautics and Engineering at Kent State University. The College’s existing facility was not capable of supporting its anticipated teaching and research needs and lacked facilities for corporate and community engagement.

The expansion of the Aeronautics and Engineering Building (AEB) is programmed to support the rapid growth of the College and to anchor an important location within the University’s academic and research core. Once completed in 2023, it will support interdisciplinary learning and discovery and further enhance KSU’s reputation for leadership in Aeronautical and Engineering teaching and research. The three-story, 38,500 GSF, LEED Silver expansion will provide additional research and instructional lab space, new classrooms, a 200-seat lecture hall with an adjacent atrium/pre-event space, and more office space for faculty and administration. The entire building is conceived as a learning environment, with collaborative seating and technology groupings located along circulation pathways and the central atrium space. The desire is to foster informal and spontaneous interactions between students and faculty.

Instructional spaces are designed to support hands-on, collaborative learning. A group of teaching labs called “Maker Alley” are located on the main level fronting a 2-1/2 story atrium. These consist of the Pattern and Fabrication Lab, a Maker Space, and a Design and Innovation Lab. Another group of spaces will be called the “Digital Domain.” These teaching and research labs contain functions relating to Cyber-Range, Simulation, Artificial Intelligence, Networking, and eSports. Additionally, two new 50-student, state-of-the-art classrooms, and a 200-seat lecture hall are designed to allow quick changes from collaborative, active learning groups to more didactic classroom arrangements. The technology and furniture in the classrooms will allow for a seamless transition between these two learning methodologies.

Post-graduate research is a growing focus for the College of Aeronautics and Engineering. The AEB includes several flexible, modular research labs to support funded research in Robotics, Cybersecurity, and Autonomous Vehicle Systems.