New Experimental Hall for CHESS

Cornell’s High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) laboratory research facility serves scientists from around the world each year. The electron beam ring provides high-powered, tangential x-ray beams that are used to see things not visible to the human eye. Its use is applicable across scientific disciplines, from exploring the painting behind a Picasso to the creation of vaccines.

The New Experimental Hall, a 2-story, 17,500 SF addition to Wilson Lab, will provide a 7,500 SF high bay space for three new x-ray beam lines, one of which will terminate at a specially designed “hutch” that will house one of the strongest magnets in the world. The High-Magnetic Field (HMF) combined with the x-ray beam is the nucleus of this project. This revolutionary technology that will enable groundbreaking research is supported by a major National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. With the synchrotron energy ring to the north, support lab spaces are organized on the remaining three sides adjacent to the high bay. The addition maximizes the building footprint and provides structural capacity for two future floors of support space.

Designed in collaboration with Lake Flato Architects, the space will include masonry walls and materials that blend with the surrounding gorges and present a simple and technically appropriate face for the science inside.