Fermilab’s Wilson Hall. Courtesy of Fermilab. |
Soaring into the sky like a medieval cathedral, the twin towers of the structure known as Wilson Hall dominate the flat countryside surrounding the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, Ill.
Named for physicist and accelerator builder Robert Rathbun Wilson (1914-2000), the building celebrates Wilson’s vision and skill, not only as a scientist but also as an artist. Made leader in 1967 of the effort to build a world-class proton synchrotron and founding director of Fermilab, Wilson played a central role in designing the entire laboratory. He was also widely recognized as an accomplished sculptor. Wilson died on Jan. 16 at the age of 85.