Photo Gallery: BU’s Newest Building Is a Big Hit

The light, the windows, the common spaces and classrooms—the Center for Computing & Data Sciences, a building unlike any other on campus

Campus & Facilities

Photo Gallery: BU’s Newest Building Is a Big Hit

The light, the windows, the common spaces and classrooms—the Center for Computing & Data Sciences, a building unlike any other on campus

January 24, 2023
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Judging by these photos from BU Today photographers, the newest, and greenest, addition to Boston University’s campus is a hit. The 19-story Center for Computing & Data Sciences at 665 Comm Ave, 100 percent free of fossil fuels, is open for learning, meeting, lounging, and eating, and that’s exactly what’s been happening there in its first few days. The first-floor student-run cafe, Saxbys, had nearly 1,000 customers on its first day of business and BU Spark! welcomed several hundred students to its new home on the second floor. 

“Walking through the building on opening day, I was thrilled to see students sitting in classrooms and huddled around tables in TEAL [tech-enhanced active learning] rooms, walking through corridors, smiling and waving as they passed by,” says Azer Bestavros, BU associate provost for computing and data sciences and a William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor. “Students were snapping pictures and selfies from every corner, sitting in groups on the ‘grand stairs,’ and in BU Spark!’s makerspaces, standing in line waiting for their drinks and grilled cheese sandwiches at Saxbys, with music in the background—just like the architects envisioned them doing. Our new home has come to life.”

Photo: First day of classes foot traffic passing by the Center for Computing & Data Sciences January 19. A modular brown and glass building shows students and pedestrians walking around.
The Center for Computing & Data Sciences on the first day of classes. Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: Students pose with Rhett in the lobby of the Center for Computing & Data Sciences on the first day of classes January 19. Three students stand behind a Boston Terrier mascot wearing a BU Hockey jersey as a woman snaps a photo of them on her phone.
Celebrating opening day of the Center for Computing & Data Sciences with everyone’s favorite, Rhett. Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: Malaika Uriesi (CGS’25) at left, hands out free cups at Saxby’s in the Center for Computing & Data Sciences on opening day January 19. A young Black woman wearing a gray Saxby's shirt hands out a drink behind a coffee bar counter. A large crowd is seen around the counter.
Malaika Uriesi (CGS’25) (left) handing out free cups at Saxbys, BU Dining Services first floor student-run eatery. The building also has a Terrier Bites convenience store on the fifth floor.  Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: Dani Duran (SAR 25) and Maimouna Sall (SAR 25) A young light-skinned woman (left) and a young Black woman with long twists (right) smile as they enjoy pink smoothies in front a crowd of students.
Dani Duran (Sargent’25) (left) and Maimouna Sall (Sargent’25) trying the smoothies at Saxbys. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Photo: Over head shot of students gathered in the open spaces of the Center for Computing and Data Sciences. Various students sit and work on their laptops at a long wooden table.
The first floor central atrium is home to classrooms, Saxbys cafe, and numerous study and collaboration spaces. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Photo: STH professor Wesley Wildman’s ethics class taking place in a first floor classroom in the Center for Computing & Data Sciences on January 19. A professor stands at the front of an airy, bright classroom as students sit before them at long wooden tables.
Wesley Wildman, a School of Theology professor of philosophy, theology, and ethics, kicks off the first day of his Data, Society, and Ethics course. The University wants every student, regardless of major, to have at least one class in the building during their BU career. Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: Overhead shot of students walking and gathering in and around a large set of black and wood butterfly stairs.

The building’s centerpiece is the butterfly staircase running from the first to the fifth floors. It’s called “butterfly” because of the way it circles up the building. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi

Photo: BU SPARK handed out cupcakes to visitors on opening day January 19. Two masked students hand out cupcakes decorated with bright blue frosting and black t-shirts. An unlit sign reads "SPARK" on the table.
BU SPARK! the incubator and experiential learning lab for computer science and engineering projects, previously on Cummington Mall, handed out cupcakes on opening day to celebrate its new home on the CCDS second floor. Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: Director of BU SPARK Ziba Cramer, right, and associate program manager Savannah Majarwitz (CAS’22) attend a zoom meeting in Cramer’s new office on the second floor. Two woman sit side by side at a long wooden desk with laptops open. A large window to their left lets in a lot of sunlight.
BU SPARK! director Ziba Cramer (right) and associate program manager Savannah Majarwitz (CAS’22) in Cramer’s CCDS second floor office. Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: At the new SPARK location on the second floor, SPARK ambassador Anulika Nnadi (CAS’24), from left, SPARK community outreach manager Isabel Torres (CAS’19), SPARK ambassador Marina Barros (Questrom’23), and Macy So (CAS’23) meet to plan some upcoming SPARK events. Four young women sit around a round wooden table with laptops open in bright room with a wooden accent wall.
SPARK! ambassador Anulika Nnadi (CAS’24) (from left), community outreach manager Isabel Torres (CAS’19), ambassador Marina Barros (Questrom’23), and Macy So (CAS’23) planning some upcoming events in their new space. Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: Professor and associate provost for computing and data science, Azer Bestavros, gets some work done in his new office in the Center for Computing & Data Sciences. An older man sits at a large wooden desk and works on his desktop. A large window wall to the right of him lights up the room.
Azer Bestavros, associate provost for computing and data sciences, in his 16th floor office, with its spectacular view of the Charles River. Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: Students gather in the open spaces of CCDS. A group of students are seen sitting on a large red modular couches through a glass wall.
A conversation and collaboration space on the fifth floor mathematics and statistics area. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Photo: A professor stands and lectures at the front of a classroom as student seated in groups at square tables look and listen on. Photo is taken form other side of a glass wall.
A hallmark of the CCDS building: flexible and dynamic collaborative classroom spaces. This one is on the second floor. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Photo: A class takes place on the second floor while students and visitors take advantage of the collaboration staircase below at the Center for Computing & Data Sciences. The upper floor shows a class taking place behind a glass wall as students sit, study, and hang out on the floor space below.
A class on the second floor (above). Students (below) take advantage of the grand staircase to work on assignments. Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: Overhead shot of students walking up and down a butterfly staircase. Students are shown as blurs as they move.
Another view of the dramatic butterfly staircase. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Photo: (Left to right) Perry Sullivan (COM 24) Jonathan Suarez (CAS 25) and Asya Dente (CAS 25) chat in the common during the first week of classes at CCDS on January 20, 2023. Three students sit and chat at the bottom of a large set of wooden, collaborative stairs.
Perry Sullivan (COM’24) (from left), Jonathan Suarez (CAS’25), and Asya Dente (CAS’25) on the grand staircase in the CCDS lobby. The staircase has two dozen conversation spaces and great views of Comm Ave. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Photo: Students are seen at the other side of a glass wall working together on a project. Three students sitting in chairs with laptops open on desks in front of them look together at one screen in the middle.
Students in the Master of Science in Statistical Practice fourth floor study hall. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Photo: A student is shown sitting and speaking on her cellphone in front of a large window wall. Image shows off the architecture and design of the interior of the CCDs building.
One of the many changeable meeting and gathering spaces found throughout the CCDS. With an emphasis on space for collaboration, the building has no corner offices. Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: Ellen Sheker (CAS’26) looks into flights for spring break while taking advantage a well lit perch on the second floor of the Center for Computing & Data Sciences on January 19. A young woman sits in front of a large window wall as she browses on her laptop in an open sitting area.
Ellen Sheker (CAS’26) taking advantage of a well-lit perch on the building’s second floor, with its front-row seat to the goings-on on Comm Ave. Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: Becky Geisberg (CAS’26), center from left, Ella Hain (CAS’26), and Amelia Liston (CAS’26) chat for bit at SPARK on the second floor of the Center for Computing & Data Sciences on January 19. Three young women, one seated in a large blue chair and the others standing beside her, look at a singular laptop screen.
Becky Geisberg (CAS’26), in one of the BU SPARK! study cubes, with Ella Hain (CAS’26) (left) and Amelia Liston (CAS’26). Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo: A side shot of the Center for Computing and Data Science building. On the left you can see a class of students in the midst of a lecture through the glass wall. On the right you see pedestrians walking down the sidewalk with umbrellas during the rainy evening.
A late afternoon class as dusk descends on the sidewalk. Photo by Cydney Scott

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Photo Gallery: BU’s Newest Building Is a Big Hit

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There are 7 comments on Photo Gallery: BU’s Newest Building Is a Big Hit

  1. Congratulations, BU, on building a stunning, landmark building that sets a new benchmark for environmental sustainability! I hope everyone who participated in this is proud of the end result, as they deserve to be. As a BU parent of a CDS major, I am so impressed…and also excited for my freshman Terrier that he gets to learn in this open, collaborative, special environment. Well done!

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  2. As a Brighton resident riding the BC trolley, I enjoy going by this architectural gem. It catches my eye each time. An incredibly innovative addition to our neighborhood. Thank you BU!

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  3. It looks great on the inside. The outside is too big and overpowering for the neighborhood. It’s beyond me how it ever got approved for this neighborhood.

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  5. Stupendous photography by Cydney Scott and Jackie Ricciardi, what a journey they took the viewer on, allows me to see all the interesting architectural nuances of your innovative campus addition. Bravo.

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