Bowdoin College, John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies & Barry Mills Hall

Since the early 19th century, the image of the 'whispering pines' has been a defining symbol for Bowdoin College in Brunswick Maine.  Tellingly, a towering grove of pines sits adjacent to the site for Mills Hall and the Center for Arctic Studies.  When considering the context of this project, along with Bowdoin's commitment to sustainable building practices, the design team pursued a mass timber structural approach for the project early in the process.  The structure consists of glulam beams and columns supporting CLT floor deck.  Custom, long-span glulam trusses span 48’ and 60’ to support the CLT roof deck.  The two buildings comprise 46,000 SF of classrooms and faculty offices, as well as a 300-person event space.  The project will also serve as the new home of the Perry MacMillan Arctic Museum, which offers access to the College’s Arctic collections to both students and the public.