Johnson, SusanStoller, MelissaBurk, Kathryn2023-09-062023-09-062006https://hdl.handle.net/1794/288334 pagesIn 1960 construction was underway on the new East Wing to the Science Building. The building was constructed to house laboratories and offices. Later named Onyx Bridge, so named because it was designed to straddle Onyx Street (although the street was closed during construction and never reopened), the unique building was a result of a new type of architectural design - an external structural support system. The entire building is supported by steel girders, covering the outside, and towers at each end of the “bridge.” By using this method, no further support was required within the structure. The idea behind this design was so that the internal structure could be changed at any time without concerns of load support or stress on the structure. Therefore, with no permanent interior floor plan, the windows were placed without regard to what they would look like on the exterior. The criss-crossed exterior girders are supposed to be the only noticeable feature of the completed building. Faculty later complained of too few windows and vibration. After the building’s completion and subsequent inspection, the exterior supports were covered in asbestos as a fire safety precaution. By 1984, removal of the asbestos was ordered and an exterior fire sprinkler system was installed. As originally designed, four additional stories were planned for Onyx Bridge for a total of eight stories. This design was never carried forward.enCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-UShistoryarchitecturecultural resources surveyOther