Mesa Community
College Southwest
Physical Sciences
Building
Mesa, Arizona

Using OnScreen information, the entire project team collaborated to select alternative finishes. This yielded savings while fulfilling design and function requirements and the college’s mission to provide a responsive, adaptable, and inclusive learning environment. Bids came in approximately $300,000 under budget – which covered some of the cost and enabled MCC to include the coveted planetarium.

The 2,100 square foot planetarium boasts an IMAX quality, Digistar 3 projection system and is coupled with a rooftop astronomy observation platform for telescopic viewing of the night sky. The planetarium is the crown jewel for the Physical Sciences Building, which includes labs, classrooms, and support spaces for the 5,000 students that enroll in astronomy, chemistry, engineering, geology, and physics courses each semester. The sun will help power the planetarium, thanks to solar panels contributed by Salt River Project, a local utility provider.

For students at MCC and throughout the region, the planetarium will challenge the imagination – a pathway to the stars.

More Information About the Project

Physical Science Building tour during construction