Physical Sciences and Engineering Center - A New Quad

A stop on Foothill College Campus Walk, a free self-guided tour.

You are in the PSEC Quad, the courtyard of the Physical Sciences and Engineering Center, buildings 4400 through 4800. This three-building complex opened in January 2013. It was designed by the architecture firm Ratcliff and built for about $41.6 million from Measure C bond funds. Its classrooms and labs serve students in the physical sciences and engineering, and it is home to the Science Learning Institute in room 4408. A second KJ's Cafe, in 4401A, makes this a handy spot for a break between labs.

Compare these buildings with the 1961 originals you passed on the main hilltop. The new complex was planned with sustainable features and a target of LEED Silver certification, yet it still wraps around a shared outdoor courtyard. That echoes the idea at the center of the Kump and Sasaki Walker plan: classrooms grouped around open spaces where students meet, study and talk between classes.

Take a lap of the quad and look for students working on projects at the outdoor tables.

Getting here: Walk south from the observatory along the edge of Lot 4 to the PSEC Quad, between buildings 4400 and 4600.

Did you know?: Building the PSEC also meant completely rebuilding Parking Lot 4 next door; construction started in February 2011.

Photo op: Stand in the middle of the PSEC Quad and turn slowly to frame the three buildings around the courtyard.

Physical Sciences and Engineering Center - A New Quad

Stops on this tour