Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences

Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences
The Center as seen from the BU Bridge in June 2025
General information
Location665 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, Massachusetts
02215
Coordinates42°21′00″N 71°06′11″W / 42.3501°N 71.1031°W / 42.3501; -71.1031
GroundbreakingDecember 5, 2019
Completed
December 8, 2022
Cost$305 million
OwnerBoston University
Height
Height305 ft (93 m)
Technical details
Floor count19
Floor area345,000 square feet (32,052 m2)
Design and construction
ArchitectsLuigi LaRocca
Paulo Rocha
Architecture firm
KPMB Architects
Website
Duan Center for Computing and Data Sciences

The Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences (CCDS), formerly known as the Boston University Center for Computing & Data Sciences, and often referred to as the "Jenga Tower", is a 19-story, 305 ft (93 m) building located on the campus of Boston University. Designed by KPMB Architects, it was completed on December 8, 2022. It is noted for being the largest net-zero building in Boston, relying on geothermal heating and cooling, while using wind power for all the electricity in the building.

Architecture

The Center as seen from Commonwealth Avenue, with the misaligned blocks visible.

The building's stacked blocks have earned it the nickname of the "Jenga Tower". The blocks internally serve as different "academic neighborhoods," and were built with the intention of avoiding the appearance of a typical office building on the inside.

There are many whiteboards built into the walls to encourage "collaboration".

Sustainability

The center is a net-zero building, and has a LEED Platinum certification. It uses geothermal heating and cooling, with geothermal wells that extend approximately 1,500 feet (460 m) into the ground.

For electricity, the university purchases wind energy, which they say offsets its emissions in Boston, and will help achieve their 2040 university-wide carbon neutral goal.

The building was designed to avoid flooding; it was built 5 feet (1.5 m) above the City of Boston's suggested design guidelines for sea level rise.

History

After the university acquired $100 million in research funding for their Computing & Data Sciences programs, then-President of the university Robert A. Brown announced that the center would be built.

Before the center was built, the site was home to a Burger King, and the project was thus referred to internally as "BK".

On December 5, 2019, the university broke ground on the building. The site was live streamed throughout the construction period. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on December 8, 2022, and the building officially opened in January 2023.

In 2024, the building was renamed to add "Duan Family" following a donation from the parent of a former BU student.

References

  1. 1 2 Fortin, Matt; Staff Reports (December 8, 2022). "19-Story 'Jenga Tower' Set to Transform BU Campus, Boston Skyline". NBC Boston. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Moura, Paula (December 7, 2022). "Boston University unveils city's largest net zero building to date". www.wbur.org. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Chesto, Jon (December 6, 2022). "BU finishes its 'Jenga Building,' the most environmentally friendly tower in the city". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Patkin, Abby (December 7, 2022). "The environmentally friendly 'Jenga Building' is done. Here's what to know". Boston.com. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Evans, Lydia (July 24, 2023). "Boston University's 'Jenga' building stacks its way to the top as finalist for World Building of the Year". Boston.com. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  6. ↑ "History | Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences". Boston University. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  7. ↑ Most, Doug (October 1, 2018). "BU to Build Data Sciences Center". Boston University. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  8. ↑ BU Today Staff (December 6, 2022). "An Iconic Building Rises: Photo Gallery Traces Construction of BU's Center for Computing & Data Sciences". BU Today. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  9. ↑ "BU's Center for Computing and Data Sciences Breaks Ground". High-Profile Monthly. December 17, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  10. ↑ Laskowski, Amy (February 3, 2021). "Update on BU's Center for Computing & Data Sciences". BU Today. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  11. ↑ Brown, Joel (December 11, 2022). "BU Unveils Dramatic, Fossil Fuel–Free Center for Computing & Data Sciences". BU Today. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  12. ↑ Most, Doug (December 12, 2022). "Iconic or Ugly? Architects of BU's Data Science Building Explain Their Design". BU Today. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Naming Ceremony for BU's Duan Center for Computing & Data Sciences | BU Today". Boston University. Retrieved December 31, 2025.