February 02, 2022

A sustainable space to thrive

The pandemic may have delayed alumni opportunities to visit the Powerhouse in person, but now students show us what this transformational building looks like in action.

Introducing the Powerhouse in pictures: Beloit’s reimagined, historic building in all its sustainable and student-animated glory.

While the Powerhouse grand opening was in February 2020, the pandemic has prevented many alumni from experiencing this transformational building in person. The pandemic also upended the magazine’s coverage of the opening. But now? Problem solved. In this photo essay, we show you how students’ return to campus in fall 2020 brought this decommissioned, coal-burning power plant to life as a green student union and recreation and athletic center. 


Shine on: Afternoon sun permeates the O'Neill Fieldhouse. The genius of the Powerhouse is its reu... Shine on: Afternoon sun permeates the O'Neill Fieldhouse. The genius of the Powerhouse is its reuse of a historic waterfront structure, but its key features further reduce the building's carbon footprint. The light-permeable O'Neill Fieldhouse is one example. Clad with insulated panels that diffuse light, it was added to the north side of the core building and houses a multi-use 40- by 50-yard turf field. Two large overhead doors draw and circulate cool air in summer, eliminating the need for air conditioning. Sinnissippi Cruisers, a student-run bike-sharing enterprise, lends bright yellow bikes from a street-level location.
Credit: Alex Garcia

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  • Book cover for “Hope Is The Thing”.

    Hope Is the Thing

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