The Building

The Aerospace Engineering Building was constructed as the second phase of the John M. Harbert Engineering Center. The $7.5 million facility was designed by the Houston-based architectural firm of Golemon and Rolfe Associates, Inc. The 35,000-square-foot building was carefully designed to reflect the neighboring neoclassical landmarks of Samford, Hargis, and Langdon halls. The structure's gabled roofs and period architectural elements complement the historic district of campus in which the building is located.

For many years, the Department of Aerospace Engineering shared Wilmore Laboratories with the mechanical and chemical engineering faculty. In the 1980s however, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) laboratory requirements, as well as an increasing number of students, motivated the construction of the present building. The current facility contains two wings separated by a breezeway. The shared classroom portion consists of 14 medium to large classrooms on three levels, while the aerospace wing encompasses 19,000 square feet, housing numerous laboratories including an adaptive structures laboratory, a water tunnel for fluid dynamics research, a state-of-the-art high-speed flow facility, and simulation laboratories.

Since its completion, the Aerospace Engineering Building has been vital to enhancing the Department of Aerospace Engineering's reputation for supplying exceptional graduates to high-tech careers while conducting innovative research for industry and government. Honored by resolution at the April 27, 2007, meeting of the Auburn University Board of Trustees, Auburn University is pleased to name this engineering facility to honor Buddy Davis and his family.