Iribe Center

Iribe Center
Map
General information
LocationUniversity of Maryland
Address8125 Paint Branch Drive
Town or cityCollege Park, Maryland
CountryUnited States
Coordinates38°59′21″N 76°56′11″W / 38.989219°N 76.936458°W / 38.989219; -76.936458
Completed2019
Design and construction
Architect(s)HDR
Website
iribe.umd.edu

The Iribe Center (/ˈrb/; officially known as the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Innovation) is a building at the University of Maryland, College Park that is used primarily for computer science education and research. It replaced the university's previous computer science buildings, the Computer Science Instruction Building and the A. V. Williams Building.[1]

Construction

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The opening ceremony at the Iribe Center with Brendan Iribe, Michael Antonov, and Larry Hogan

The construction of the center was completed in 2019 after several years of construction and at a reported cost of $152 million. It was named after Brendan Iribe, who donated money to pay for part of the construction cost. He is an entrepreneur and former student at the university who had previously dropped out.[2] Part of the center's funding also came from the state government.[1] The opening ceremony was held on April 26, 2019, a date chosen to coincide with the university's public outreach day, although parts of the facility were accessible to students before that time. Those in attendance to the opening ceremony included the state governor, Larry Hogan, and the president of the university, Wallace Loh. Loh stated that the building represents the fusion of the "traditional academy and the technological future and economic development of the state of Maryland".[1]

Design and usage

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Designed by a team at the Omaha-based architecture firm HDR led by Brian Kowalchuk,[3] the center consists of two general-purpose floors and several floors dedicated to computer science research, in addition to an auditorium with approximately 300 seats.[4] The research area includes devices such as 3D printers, laser cutters, vinyl cutters, and metal milling machines, many of which cannot be found anywhere else on the university's campus.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c José Umaña (May 2, 2019). "New Computer Science building unveiled on Maryland Day". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  2. ^ Kessler, Sarah (September 22, 2014). "Why Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe Just Gave $31 Million To A New Computer Science Center". Fast Company. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  3. ^ Edward Keegan. "Inside the University of Maryland's Innovative New Hub for Computer Science". Architect Magazine. Archived from the original on July 29, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Innovation: The Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering". Iribe Center, University of Maryland. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
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38°59′21″N 76°56′11″W / 38.98917°N 76.93639°W / 38.98917; -76.93639