Teaching laboratories will be configured for modern instruction . They will be sized for sections of 12 to 16 students and will be large enough to accommodate the equipment necessary in specialized labs. Modern biology relies on expensive instrumentation, much of which is difficult to move, and the appropriate placement of instrumentation in labs will make students' work more efficient. The new labs will allow small-group investigative work and interactive learning to be more fully incorporated into the curriculum. The addition of a seminar room will enhance the effectiveness of tutorial sessions, which are now held in labs.
Discussions held in comfortable, appropriate surroundings are sure to be more productive.
A courtyard and garden occupying the center of the biology area will bring natural light into the building and will be a serene, quiet place for students and faculty members to enjoy. The garden will feature a collection of shade-tolerant native plants. In addition, growing space will be zoned for different kinds of flora, allowing the biology department to keep a much more diverse collection of plants than is now possible. The glazing used in construction will be more weatherproof than the glazing on the current greenhouse.