Charles B. Wang Center

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The Charles B. Wang Center

The Charles B. Wang Center, located at the State University of New York at Stony Brook in Stony Brook, New York, is dedicated to understanding Asian and American cultures, and the interactions of these cultures with other world cultures. The center was completed in 2002, and was designed by P.H. Tuan. Building of the center was intended to be funded by Charles B. Wang through an over 40 million dollar donation to Stony Brook University, the largest ever private donation to a SUNY school.^[1] Actual construction costs far exceeded the original donation, becoming a source of controversy among students and faculty at the time.

Controversy over the building was further fueled by its prolonged construction period, its prime location in the heart of the academic mall, and its intended usage. Many students and faculty felt that devoting so many important resources to a building which would house neither classes nor faculty offices was ill-advised. Additionally, the building's food court is run by a private restaurant called Jasmine, making it the only non-unionized comissary on campus.

The building covers 120,000 square feet (11,000 m²), and is noted for its interior architecture. The building holds numerous conference halls, classrooms (although no classes have been held in the building), auditoriums, a chapel, and an Asian food court for students. Thus far, the center has been the location for numerous presentations, as well as films, and conferences that deal with multicultural issues.

The typical undergraduate, however, uses the Center only for its food court and for its large outdoor koi pond-- an excellent location (weather permitting) to study.