Located in the former Franklin Street Gym, the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Humanities and Sciences’ STEM Building is a 169,000 SF state-of-the-art science and engineering building. The building is designed to support 10,000 students through traditional classroom learning paired with hands-on research. The design team’s goal was to inspire curiosity and encourage collaboration between academic disciplines while adhering to the university’s building standards. The Lighting Practice provided interior lighting design services with a focus on public spaces, classrooms, lecture halls, and laboratories. Lighting was used to promote collaboration by reinforcing collaboration zones and areas for impromptu discussion. TLP strategically illuminated natural finishes drawing attention to textures and bringing warmth to public spaces. Recessed lighting in teaching and research labs provide even high-performance illumination and a clean aesthetic.