University of Notre Dame McCourtney Hall & McCourtney Hall – East

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University of Notre Dame

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Notre Dame, Indiana

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419,448 SF

This image shows a large collegiate Gothic-style academic building on Notre Dame's campus. The structure features tan/beige brick construction with multiple peaked gables and a gray slate roof. The building is three stories tall with symmetrical wings extending from a central entrance area that appears to have an arched entryway. In the foreground, there's a well-maintained green lawn with a curved walkway. Along the walkway, students are walking and riding bikes. Young trees are planted around the perimeter of the building, suggesting relatively recent landscaping. The scene is set against a dramatic blue sky filled with white clouds. The entire scene conveys a serene, academic environment on what appears to be a pleasant day.

This image shows a modern, open-concept academic or collaborative space featuring contemporary design elements. The space has a multi-story atrium with exposed concrete structural elements and glass railings on upper floors, creating an airy, industrial-inspired atmosphere. In the foreground, two people are seated in conversation on gray modular seating units. The seating area includes vibrant turquoise and green patterned chairs, blue round ottomans, and small round tables, contrasting with the predominantly gray space. The hexagonal patterned carpet in shades of gray adds visual interest to the floor. The walls feature glass-enclosed meeting or study rooms with bright yellow accent walls visible through the glass. A circular archway leads to one of these spaces. To the right, there's a staircase with a brick wall feature. Large pendant light fixtures hang from the ceiling, and the overall design combines industrial elements (exposed concrete, glass) with bright pops of color in the furniture to create an inviting, collaborative environment typical of modern university buildings or innovation centers.

This image shows the interior of an academic building, specifically the Molecular Science & Engineering department as indicated by signage on the wall. The space features a modern, open design with a split-level layout. In the foreground, a person in a red top is seated on a patterned bench or ottoman, reading. The area overlooks an atrium or lower level through glass railings, where another person can be seen walking below. The upper level has elevator doors labeled with the number

This image shows a modern, open-concept academic space featuring contemporary design elements. This image specifically is focusing on the architectural elements of a metal staircase with red accents against a red brick wall. The space is a multi-story atrium with exposed concrete structural elements like exposed concrete pillars, white brick walls, and exposed brick. The overall design combines industrial elements with bright pops of color in the furniture (like a set of lime green chairs in the foreground) to create an inviting, collaborative environment typical of modern university buildings or innovation centers.

This image shows a modern university communal space with contemporary design elements. The area features a high counter workspace where two people are seated with a laptop, engaged in conversation or collaboration. The counter has bright orange accents that coordinate with the ceiling's orange rectangular lighting feature. To the right are booth-style seating areas with colorful patterned upholstery and lime green chairs, where another person can be seen working. The space has a mix of materials including polished concrete floors, exposed brick walls, and warm wood paneling on the right wall. On the left side, there's a decorative partition or screen with a geometric diamond pattern in shades of red and brown that provides partial separation between areas while maintaining an open feel. The ceiling combines wood slat sections with exposed mechanical systems, creating an industrial yet warm aesthetic. The overall design balances openness with defined zones for different activities, typical of contemporary academic buildings designed to encourage both collaboration and individual work in a casual, appealing environment.

The image shows a clinical laboratory. The room has a central work area with multiple shelves holding chemical containers and other lab equipment. This central workstation has teal walls at each end, forming dividers from the rest of the room. Similar workstations are in the background but are open and not separated by walls, signifying the importance of the central workstation. Two students in blue lab coats are working collaboratively near glass vials and a scale. The room has white walls, a dropped ceiling with fluorescent lighting, and polished concrete flooring.

The image shows a laboratory or technical workspace with three people working at computer stations. The room has a central equipment rack or workbench with multiple shelves containing technical equipment and wiring. One person with glasses wearing a gray striped shirt is seated on the left side at a computer workstation. In the center, a person with shoulder-length hair is standing and appears to be adjusting something on the central equipment rack. On the right side, another person wearing a red baseball cap and blue/white baseball-style shirt is seated at a computer workstation. The room has white walls, a dropped ceiling with fluorescent lighting, and gray flooring. The background contains shelving units with various electronic equipment, cables, and storage containers. This appears to be a technology lab.

An industrial mechanical room filled with an array of white pipes, tanks, filtration systems, ducts, and metal conduits and white PVC pipes running along the ceiling and walls. Various pieces of equipment are strategically placed throughout the room. The space is a critical infrastructure system and shows BSA's expertise in MEP engineering.

McCourtney Hall: Advancing Multidisciplinary Research

BSA designed McCourtney Hall as the University of Notre Dame’s first large-scale multidisciplinary research building. The original 219,448 SF building united the College of Science and the College of Engineering and fosters collaboration in an open, flexible environment with a strong emphasis on drug discovery and molecular research.

Key design features include:

Modular, adaptable laboratories that adjust to evolving science and team sizes
Lab zones supporting both hood-intensive and light-lab research
Flexible “knuckle” spaces clustering offices and research centers to create an interdisciplinary hub
Support for advanced instrumentation, including four NMRs, SEM, and Mass Spectrometry facilities

McCourtney Hall also anchors a new research quad and forms the foundation for future science facilities. Its sustainable design achieved LEED Gold Certification through features such as:

35% better energy performance than ASHRAE 90.1-2007 standards
High-efficiency heat recovery systems and chillers
Full-building LED lighting with integrated controls
Local vacuum systems for research use
An 800 KW emergency generator for mission-critical operations

McCourtney Hall – East: Expanding the Vision

Building on the success of McCourtney Hall, Notre Dame launched McCourtney Hall – East. This facility is a significant expansion east of McCourtney, located in the northeast quadrant of the campus. Designed again by BSA, McCourtney Hall – East provides an additional 200,000 SF of new research space and support facilities and continues Notre Dame’s strategic expansion of the East Campus Research Complex. The BSA team transformed a former parking lot into a thriving hub for interdisciplinary research and innovation.

McCourtney Hall – East connects directly to McCourtney Hall, reinforcing the emerging research quadrangle. It also deepens collaboration between the Colleges of Science and Engineering. Designed to advance research at the intersection of human and environmental health, the space brings together experimental, field, and computational scientists working in areas such as genomics, tissue biomodeling, environmental sensing, water quality, and vector biology.

With approximately 110,000 SF of dedicated lab and office space and an additional 30% of the building reserved for future hires and evolving programs, the facility supports both immediate scientific needs and long-term adaptability. Its modular laboratory layout, inspired by McCourtney Hall, features dual bench-and-hood bays, adjacent flex zones, and adaptable team spaces that can scale and shift as research demands change.

The building’s exterior reflects the Collegiate Gothic style of Notre Dame, while the interior emphasizes modern functionality, daylight, and flexible collaboration zones.

Shaping the Future

Together, the two buildings form the foundation of a new internal courtyard, shaping a cohesive identity for the research district and establishing a gateway for future development. By clustering researchers into shared neighborhoods and fostering cross-disciplinary connections, McCourtney Hall – East creates an environment of innovation, discovery, and real-world impact. Together with McCourtney Hall, the facility strengthens Notre Dame’s position as a leader in collaborative science and engineering research, while expanding its ability to attract top talent, secure funding, and fuel innovation.

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Disciplines

Architecture, Engineering, Interior Design

Awards

LEED Gold; 2016 – Architectural Precast Association (APA): Award for Excellence; 2017 – IIDA Indiana Chapter, IDEA Award: Nominated in Higher Education New Construction; 2024 – American Concrete Institute International, Indiana Chapter: Institutional & Cultural

University of Notre Dame McCourtney Hall & McCourtney Hall – East

McCourtney Hall: Advancing Multidisciplinary Research

McCourtney Hall – East: Expanding the Vision

Shaping the Future

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