Published: Aug. 19, 2019 By

The new building.

Celebrate with Us!

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
August 26, 2019 at 12:30 p.m.
3775 Discovery Dr.
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The Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences has moved into a new dedicated building on East Campus.

The four-story, nearly 180,000 square-foot structure was completed over the summer following 18 months of construction, and a formal ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for Monday, August 26, to kick off the semester.

The celebration will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. outside the building, which is located at 3775 Discovery Dr. Members of the public are welcome.

“This building allows us to bring together all of our aerospace research enterprises and teaching enterprises in one beautiful location that we can showcase to the world,” said Brian Argrow, chair of Smead Aerospace. “Colorado is a leader in this field, and having a facility like this demonstrates our generational commitment.” 

After a brief ceremony, guests are invited to stick around until 2:00 p.m. to connect with others visiting from across the region and country. The event will conclude at 2:00 p.m. with the burial of a time capsule that will remain in the ground until September 1, 2071, when the department will celebrate its 125th anniversary. Festivities will include food trucks, live music from the Blue Canyon Boys bluegrass band, games, research displays from faculty and students, and an "Ask the Architect Booth."

The design of the facility incorporated input from faculty and students and will allow for expanded course offerings and new research collaborations.

Built to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, the building also incorporates several sustainability features, resulting in high energy and water efficiency as well as healthy and productive working environments for students, faculty, and staff. The new building will cement CU Boulder as the hub of Colorado’s aerospace industry, which is ranked first in the United States in private employment concentration.

Find out more about the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Building.