The newest jewel to adorn the campus of Western Carolina University is the cutting-edge, futuristic and uniquely organic Apodaca Science Building. 

Housing programs ranging from biology and chemistry to physics and forensic science, the $110.5 million state-of-the-art facilities replace the university’s 1970s-era Natural Science Building. It is the largest capital project from the $2 billion voter-approved Connect NC bond for infrastructure improvements.

The multi-level building is 182,989 square feet and features five stories of laboratory, classroom, assembly space, 150-person seat lecture hall, office and collaborative space. There is also an additional rooftop plaza level for astronomy observations and a greenhouse. 

"This Apodaca Science Building serves many of our WCU students, as those from across campus will come here to study diverse topics—from the magnificence of our universe to the complexity of a human body, hopefully, students also begin to understand the scientific process, the steady and continued work of asking and answering questions, and comprehend the ability of science (and even student scientists) to provide important information and breakthroughs for society." - Dean David Kinner