News + Ideas

The building process is complex and comes with common—and not-so-common—challenges. Learn more about what we do as Project Managers in our monthly video series, MGAC on the Move. Each month a different member of our team will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at one of their current projects. Now let’s get moving!

This month, Marcus Hurley gives us a tour of the American University, Hall of Science.

VIDEO TRANSCIPTION

Hi. I’m Marcus Hurley. I’m a senior project manager at MGAC, and today, we’re gonna take a look at the American University Hall of Science. Let’s get moving!

All the stormwater for this system will go under this rain garden. This is gonna be an area where students congregate. Right now, I’m currently standing about 8 to 10 feet below grade. You can see the clerestory windows. But it really acts and functions like a space of any other, in that it’s not cut off from light.

As you can see, we have all kinds of hydronic pipes, electrical, low voltage, gases. If this is a science building, why not show them? Our emergency chiller, that’s part of our critical systems. But what’s really interesting about this, it’s actually a building within a building. A fully enclosed air hammer came out from the factory in Ohio with all the cladding attached. It was just dropped in by crane, and then built the penthouse around it.

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing what’s happening at the American University Hall of Science. Continue to follow us and see MGAC’s next move.