Choate Rosemary Hall, a private college prep in Wallingford, Conn,., has dedicated its new center for mathematics and computer science.

The school says that the 34,000-square-foot Cameron and Edward Lanphier Center for Mathematics and Computer Science, which opened in February, is named for two former Choate teachers who met when they were on the faculty. 

"This will be a wonderful gathering place where ideas can be kicked around," said Edward Lanphier, who now runs a biosciences firm in California. "Our hope is that the building will not only be a foundation for teaching mathematics and computer science, but that it will ultimately be a gathering place for students – like the Google campus or Stanford University campus – the kind of environments that generate passion and ideas."

Lanphier Center has 12 classrooms, a robotics laboratory, meeting spaces, and faculty offices. A highlight of the new facility is the i.d.Lab, which the school describes as "a mindset, space, and resource for the Choate community that provides a place for exploration and innovation." It consists of three large rooms with movable furniture, easily accessible power, and ample bench space. In addition to mathematics, courses such as reverse engineering, design thinking, robotics, and architecture meet regularly in the i.d.Lab.

The building incorporates many sustainable elements and strategies and is designed to receive LEED gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The architect for the project is Pelli Clarke Pelli.