Penn State’s Board of Trustees appointed Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) to oversee the design of its planned Liberal Arts Research and Teaching (LART) building at its full-board meeting last Thursday.

The facility is expected to provide a central space on campus for several departments within the College of the Liberal Arts, including the departments of anthropology, political science, sociology, and criminology. The building will include classroom, office and museum space as well as several laboratories according to documents from the Office of the Physical Plant.

The building is planned to stand between the Mateer and Donald H. Ford buildings on Park Avenue. Construction of the new center will reportedly result in the demolition of Oswald Tower and greater visibility for Penn State’s anthropology museum. A “green space” will likely take the place of the tower.

“This new space will create dynamic learning opportunities for our students, spur even more innovative research encompassing an array of disciplines among our faculty, and strengthen the college’s reputation as one of the premier liberal arts institutions in the country,” Clarence Lang, dean of the college of the Liberal Arts, said in a release.

BCJ assisted in the design of University Park’s Biobehavioral health building and facilities at Williams College and Lehigh University

The LART building’s total project cost is estimated to be slightly over $112 million. Construction is planned to begin in March 2021, with occupancy expected between May and December 2023.