The new Molecular Biology Research Building on the downtown Chicago campus of the University of Illinois took advantage of precast concrete's plasticity and aesthetic values to create a distinctive image inside and out. On the exterior., this was achieved in a number of ways, most obviously by differentiating the individual functions in the building- offices and laboratories - with different facade treatments. Other key elements included the addition of decorative precast medallions above the entry tower on each of two sides that allude to the building's biological mission and the creation of a large, lass-fronted atrium that shows off the interior staircase. That stairway was designed as a precast double helix, which alludes once again to the building's biological focus. The project, which cost $55 million, included two precasters working in harmony to create exterior panels, with the second also supplying materials for the staircase from shop drawings produced by the first precaster.
