Bell Labs Holmdel Complex

infobox building
building_name = Bell Labs Holmdel
native_building_name=


caption = Aerial view
former_names =
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building_type = Research lab
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location = Holmdel, NJ
address = 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, New Jersey
client =
owner = Somerset Development in contract with Lucent
current_tenants =
landlord =
coordinates = coord|40.36498|N|74.16730|W|type:landmark_region:US-NJ|display=it
start_date = 1959cite web |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50613F93958137B93C5AB1783D85F4D8585F9 |title=Big Research Unit Started |accessdate=2008-09-27 |date=1959-08-27 |publisher=NYT]
completion_date = 1962cite web |url=http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/multimedia/2008/08/gallery_bell_labs |title=Once Mighty Bell Labs Leaves Behind Transistor, Laser, 6 Nobels |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Ganapati |first=Priya |date=2008-08-28 |work=Wired |publisher=CondéNet]
inauguration_date =
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height =
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floor_count = 6
floor_area = 2,000,000 Square feetcite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/14/realestate/commercial/14bell.html?_r=1&n=Top/News/Business/Small%20Business/Innovation&oref=slogin |title=Pastoral Site of Historic Inventions Faces the End |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Martin |first=Antoinette |date=2006-06-14 |publisher=NYT]
main_contractor =
architect = Eero Saarinencite web |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0914FC39581B7A93C0A91782D85F458685F9 |title=EERO SAARINEN, 51, ARCHITECT, IS DEAD; Versatile Designer Created Terminal for T.W.A. Here and Embassies for U.S. DISCIPLE OF HIS FATHER Received Many Awards-Worked With Mielziner on Lincoln Center Theatre |accessdate=2008-09-27 |date=1961-09-02 |publisher=NYT]
structural_engineer =
services_engineer =
civil_engineer =
other_designers = Sasaki, Walker & Associatescite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/02Rlandmark.html?ref=nyregionspecial2&pagewanted=all |title=The Office as Architectural Touchstone |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Dunlap |first=David |date=2008-03-02 |publisher=NYT]
quantity_surveyor =
awards = 1967 Laboratory of the year
references =

The Bell Labs Holmdel Complex functioned for forty-four years as a research laboratory in basic physics research and was the home of several Nobel prize winners. The centerpiece of the 472-acre campus is an Eero Saarinen designed structure that served as the home to over 6,000 researchers. This modernist building, dubbed the "The Biggest Mirror Ever" by "Architectural Forum", due to its mirror box exterior, was the site of several Nobel Prize inventions.cite web |url=http://www.tclf.org/landslide/Bell_Labs/index.htm |title=Bell Laboratories, Holmdel, New Jersey |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Emrich |first=Ron |date=2008-08 |publisher=The Cultural Landscape Foundation] [cite web |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10816FD3F591A7493C2AB1789D85F468785F9 |title=Where Science Grows Miracles |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Rensberger |first=Boyce |date=1972-02-20 |publisher=NYT]

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History

. Due to its mirror-like appearance, it was named Laboratory of the Year by R&D in 1967. [cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-21202521.html |title=Bell Laboratories Holmdel Complex. (1967 Laboratory of the Year) |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Higginbotham |first=Julie |date=1998-05-01 |work=R&D |publisher=HighBeam Research]

The building was subsequently expanded in 1966 and 1982 to its final size of two million square feet of office spacecite web |url=http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080915/NEWS01/809150322/1004 |title=Bell Labs site's future |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Thompson |first=Sametta |date=2008-09-15 |publisher=APP.com] Despite these expansions, the original curtain wall design remained intact, as did the unique layout of the site, which included a large elliptical master plan and country-road like approach. Over its active life-span, the facility and its layout was studied in universities as a model of modernist architecture. [cite web |url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/abandoned_bell_labs_could_make.html |title=Abandoned Bell Labs could make history again |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Shearn |first=Tim |date=2008-08-03|work=NJ.com |publisher=The Star-Ledger] Internally, the building is divided into four pavilions of labs and offices, each around an atrium. The internal pavilions are linked via sky-bridges and perimeter walkway.

Also of note is the water tower on the complex, which was designed to look like the then-new transistor and is still in usable condition more than 40 years after its construction. [cite web |url=http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/8180 |title=World's Largest Transistor |accessdate=2008-09-27 |date=2008-04 |publisher=RoadsideAmerica.com]

Post-Alcatel

In 2006, Alcatel-Lucent sold the facility to Preferred Real Estate Investments in the process of restructuring the company's research efforts. Despite initial plans to maintain the original buildings and keep the complex as a corporate office park, economic developments later resulted in Preferred seeking to re-zoning as residential property. [cite web |url=http://independent.gmnews.com/news/2006/0906/Front_page/001.html |title=Bell Labs portion will be preserved in Holmdel |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Caiazza |first=Tom |date=2006-09-06 |publisher=The Independent] [cite web |url=http://www.opennewworlds.com/index2.html |title=Former Bells Labs Site |accessdate=2008-09-27 |date=2007 |publisher=Preferred Unlimited] [cite web |url=http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/01/holmdel-bell-labs-facility-update-it-stays/ |title=Holmdel Bell Labs facility update: it stays! |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Block |first=Ryan |date=2006-09-01 |publisher=Engadget] As a result, the complex was added to The Cultural Landscape Foundation's list of 10 Most Endangered Historic Sites in New Jersey in May 2007. Additionally action led to the creation of a citizen's group, Preserving Holmdel, by former Bell employees, to lobby for keeping the complex as it was when in use as a laboratory. [cite web |url=http://www.simplyquality.org/ho/ |title=Preserving Holmdel: the future of the Bell Labs facility in Holmdel |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Beaumont |first=Leland |date=2007 |publisher=PreservingHolmdel] Working with the community, ideas for changes such as a university center or recreational complex, in portions of the former facility are under consideration. [cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/realestate/04njzo.html |title=Ideas for Bell Labs’ Future |accessdate=2008-09-27 |last=Martin |first=Antoinette |date=2008-05-04 |publisher=NYT]

Gallery

References