Engineering Laboratory Building

The University of Michigan – Dearborn College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS)’s 46,000 sf addition houses the campus’s Institute for Advanced Vehicle Systems (IAVS), dedicated laboratories and engineering classrooms.

Among other facilities, the addition includes dedicated laboratories for vehicle electronics, auto safety, ergonomics, electronic sensors, computer science and powertrains. A flexible, open high bay accommodates equipment used for teaching and research on manufacturing issues. These spaces allow undergraduate students to design and assemble projects for national competitions. The classrooms provide electronically mediated instruction.

The IAVS was created to accelerate applied research in the areas of product development and manufacturing. It focuses on systems engineering rated to the design, development and manufacturing of complex vehicles.

The 30-foot-tall high bay space for the IAVS has a circular form to accommodate an efficient rotating overhead crane. Adjacent to the high bay are specialized laboratory spaces, separated from the high bay space by glazed walls to share light and showcase the activities within. An atrium bisects the building, creating links to exterior and interior campus pedestrian paths, while highlighting the manufacturing, research and public functions.