Technological Institute 4177301 224391934 2008-07-08T17:27:13Z Madcoverboy 304994 Removed category "Northwestern University"; Quick-adding category "Northwestern University campus" (using [[WP:HOTCAT|HotCat]]) {{For|the tertiary school in Saint Petersburg, Russia|Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology}} [[Image:TechInstitute-PreLakefill.jpg|right|350px|thumb|The Technological Institute as seen in 1942, before the construction of the [[Northwestern University Lakefill|Lakefill]].]] [[Image:TechInstitute-PostLakefill.jpg|right|350px|thumb|The Technological Institute as seen in 1977, after the construction of the [[Northwestern University Lakefill|Lakefill]] and two new wings on the eastern end of the building.]] The '''Technological Institute''', more commonly known as "Tech", is a landmark building at [[Northwestern University]]. Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science following a major gift from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. It is the main building for students and faculty in the [[Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science]]. The construction of the building started in 1939 when Walter P. Murphy, a wealthy inventor of railroad equipment, donated $6.737 million. Murphy meant for the Institute to offer a new kind of “cooperative” educational model for the field, where academic courses and practical application in industrial settings were closely integrated. When the construction of Tech was completed in 1942, Northwestern received an additional bequest of $28 million from Walter P. Murphy's estate to provide for an engineering school "second to none." ==Construction== To make room for the new building, the [[Phi Kappa Psi]] [[Fraternity and sorority houses|fraternity house]] and the Dearborn Observatory were moved, and the original [[Patten Gymnasium]] was demolished. [[Groundbreaking|Ground was broken]] for the new building on April 1, 1940 and the building was dedicated on June 15-16, 1942. The building was designed by the architectural firm of [[Holabird & Roche|Holabird & Root]] in the shape of two letter E's, placed back to back and joined by a central structure. When it was built it was the largest building on Northwestern's Evanston campus. ==New Wings and Neighboring Buildings== In 1961, construction began on two new wings, which were added to the eastern ends of the building, along with additions to the library and physics wing. The expansion, dedicated in October, 1963, was prompted by a $3.4 million contract awarded by the [[Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency|Advanced Research Agency of the Department of Defense]]. In 1973, a new entrance terrace was dedicated, and in 1999, a ten-year, $125 million renovation of the Technological institute was completed. This renovation, undertaken by [[Skidmore, Owings & Merrill]], included extensive reconstruction of the interior of the original 1940 structure, replacing the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems, and reconfiguring the laboratory and research space. <ref>[http://www.library.northwestern.edu/archives/exhibits/architecture/building.php?bid=23] University archives</ref> Additional buildings have been constructed around the original Technological Institute, connected together by pedestrian bridges to create what has been called the "Technological Campus". Among them are the Seeley G. Mudd Library for Science and Engineering opened in 1977, the Center for Catalysis and Surface Science in 1986, and Cook Hall in 1989. More recent additions to the "Technological Campus" include Hogan Hall, the Pancoe Life Sciences Pavilion, the Center for Nanofabrication, and the Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center. ==External links== *[http://www.matsci.northwestern.edu/techanthology.html The history of the Technological Institute from 1939 to 1969] *[http://www.library.northwestern.edu/archives/exhibits/architecture/building.php?bid=23 Information on the building from the Northwestern University archives] ==References== {{reflist}} {{Northwestern}} [[Category:Evanston, Illinois]] [[Category:Northwestern University campus]]