Beloit College Power Plant / Studio Gang

Wisconsin’s Beloit College has commissioned Studio Gang Architects to reimagine a decommissioned coal-burning power plant as a “lively” student recreation and meeting center. As it currently stands, the “Powerhouse” is a barrier between the College campus and the Rock River. Upon completion in 2018, Studio Gang hopes the structure’s revitalization will reconnect the campus with the waterfront, further catalyzing the redevelopment of Beloit’s riverfront.

More about the "Powerhouse," after the break.

Beloit College Power Plant / Studio Gang - Beam
Turbine Hall. Image Courtesy of Studio Gang Architects

“The design retains architectural features of the original industrial structure while incorporating new sustainable practices,” described Studio Gang in a press release. “The building’s substantial brick walls and tile wainscoting will be preserved by utilizing an ‘isothermal envelope.’ This system reduces energy use by transferring energy from the adjacent river into a network of tubes under the exterior skin, transforming the building walls into a radiant surface that will maintain a constant temperature within the Powerhouse throughout the year. Coal bunkers and steel tubing will be kept in place, preserving elements of the historic Blackhawk Generating Station, with the suspended running track weaving together the different structures of the existing plant.”

Beloit College Power Plant / Studio Gang - Image 4 of 4
Powerhouse Pool. Image Courtesy of Studio Gang Architects

The redevelopment will transform the power plant into a “student engagement space.” Programs will include a coffee shop, student lounge and club rooms, a conference center, lecture hall and theater, as well as a 3-lane track, 8-lane competition swimming pool for 250 spectators, a 10,000-square-foot fitness center and 17,000-square-foot gym. 

Beloit College Power Plant / Studio Gang - Waterfront
Courtesy of Studio Gang Architects
  • Architects

  • Location

    Beloit College, 700 College Street, Beloit, WI 53511, USA
  • Associate Architect

    Angus Young Associates
  • Owner

    Beloit College
  • LEED Consultant

    Angus Young Associates
  • E, P&FP Engineering

    Angus Young Associates
  • Structural Engineering

    Matrix Engineering Corporation
  • Mechanical and Environmental Engineering

    dbHMS
  • Civil Engineering

    R.H. Batterman & Co.
  • Athletic Facility Consultant

    Moody Nolan
  • Landscape Architect and Ecological Design

    Applied Ecological Services.
  • Cost Consultant

    Venue
  • Vertical Transportation

    Jenkins & Huntington, Inc.
  • Area

    130000.0 m2
  • Project Year

    2018
  • Photographs

    Studio Gang Architects
  • Architects

  • Mechanical Engineering

    dbHMS
  • Environmental Engineering

    dbHMS
  • Landscape Architect

    Applied Ecological Services.
  • Ecological Design

    Applied Ecological Services.

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Project location

Address:Beloit College, 700 College Street, Beloit, WI 53511, United States

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: Karissa Rosenfield. "Beloit College Power Plant / Studio Gang" 05 Nov 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/564488/studio-gang-reimagines-beloit-powerhouse-as-campus-hub> ISSN 0719-8884

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