CSU Northridge Opens Autodesk Technology Engagement Center

California State University, Northridge opened the Autodesk Technology Engagement Center in August of 2025 in Los Angeles. Designed by AC Martin with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory consultant, the $62.7 million facility accommodates programs for the College of Engineering and Computer Science, including six flexible discovery environments. In the future manufacturing and prototyping lab, multidisciplinary teams can experiment with 3D printers, the latest modeling software, and emerging fabrication techniques. Two laboratories for materials testing and development integrate state-of-the-art equipment to enhance experiential learning capabilities, and the digital design and capture lab provides versatile infrastructure for work in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity. Spanning 1,100 sf, an adaptable high bay lab with a 15-ton crane and a 20-foot reaction wall enables comprehensive mechanical validation testing of structural components under real-world conditions. The incubation lab incorporates a wet lab element and promises to streamline collaboration, innovation, and commercialization.

Autodesk contributed $7 million towards the construction of the public-private facility, which received $1 million in federal funding and a $25 million state allocation. The 32,000-sf building houses the Global Hispanic Serving Institution Equity Innovation Hub, supported by Apple, which aims to address the skills and equity gap in STEM education. A student success center is accompanied by an outreach venue open to the entire university that hosts K-12 programs and offerings for the wider community. Fostering inclusion and creativity, the two-story structure also contains a maker space and a student showcase, complemented by outdoor gathering areas. Hathaway Dinwiddie broke ground on the project in April of 2023.