NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland held a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday, July 11, to open an innovative new building designed as a flexible, collaborative workplace to meet future mission needs.
The Research Support Building (RSB) contains office space for approximately 164 Glenn employees and support service contractors and will serve as a campus center with a cafeteria, “hoteling spaces” for part-time teleworkers, credit union, ATM, 16 conference rooms, training rooms, multiple gathering spaces, and the center’s exchange store where merchandise is sold to employees and visitors.
The center’s Compass Lab, where engineers and scientists develop long-range mission concepts and designs, will now operate from the new building.
The RSB was designed by architects Enrique Norten of TEN Arquitectos and Andrea Steele of Andrea Steele Architecture and built by Walsh Construction.
NASA was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification in November 2021. The environmental features include extensive natural daylight, low-volatile organic compound emitting materials, and water and energy-saving fixtures and appliances.
The facility also provides bicycle storage, a large balcony for outdoor breaks, and preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles.
Local and state officials have supported NASA Glenn’s Facility Master Plan, which is a multiyear effort to revitalize the central campus and renovate or replace WWII-era buildings. The new Aerospace Communication Facility, also part of the master plan, is scheduled for completion this fall.
