Henry Ford Health is constructing a campus expansion and modernization project known as Destination: Grand in Detroit to advance medical excellence. Shaped by the collective architectural vision of HDR, Hamilton Anderson Associates, and DLR Group | Tsoi Kobus Design, the $2.2 billion facility will leverage interactive smart technologies including AI and autonomous mobile robots to transform the delivery of next-generation treatment.
Princeton University broke ground in May of 2026 on a $305 million expansion and renovation project that will create a unified home for the Department of Computer Science. Designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners alongside Shepley Bulfinch, Eric and Wendy Schmidt Hall will catalyze innovative computational thought that unlocks new frontiers of learning and drives the discovery of vital solutions with real-world impact.
When the University of Pittsburgh set out to renovate Hillman Library, the project began with a relatively modest goal: Remove asbestos from the plenum space above the ceilings. What followed over the next decade was something far more ambitious—a four-phase transformation that reimagined what a 21st-century academic library could be, and in doing so, reshaped the university’s relationship with its campus, its students, and its surrounding neighborhood.
When Yale University set out to reinvest in its sciences, the challenge was as much logistical as architectural. The university is constrained by finite capital budgets and an urban campus in New Haven, Conn., that is dense with heritage buildings. Several interlocking institutional initiatives shaped the approach, including the Yale Sustainability Plan, the Yale Planetary Solutions program, and a Science Strategy Committee report issued in 2018. That report identified five high-priority areas: integrative data science, quantum science, neuroscience, inflammation, and environmental and evolutionary sciences. Two projects—the Kline Tower and Kline Geology Laboratory—directly addressed the data science and environmental and evolutionary sciences priorities.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville opened the Health Sciences Complex in April of 2026 to provide leading-edge facilities for the School of Pharmacy and the School of Nursing. The $117.4 million project encompassed the construction of a three-story, 106,000-sf structure that links two renovated and expanded buildings via an activated two-story atrium.
Ford Motor Company is planning to repurpose its former Product Development Center as part of the 3.3 million-sf World Headquarters Complex in Dearborn, Mich. The transformed facility, to be known as World Headquarters South, will provide a modern workplace for 5,000 employees. Existing studios will be converted into flexible, double-height environments accommodating laboratories, vehicle testing operations, and prototyping.
Collecting and analyzing data is par for the course in facilities planning and operations. But how is that data used, for how long, and how often is it updated? Poorly curated data can be barely more useful than no data at all. But many institutions don’t know where to start or how to make the best use of data they already have. Mining and strategically analyzing information can provide data-driven insights into space needs to help increase utilization, create space planning programs, and understand carbon footprints.
No longer a place to just study and shush, the modern university library is more like a buzzing connection point for the entire campus. At the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, the recently renovated Mullins Library is no exception, with as many as 7,000 people going in and out every day. The largest of the U of A Libraries and central to the campus, the 300,000-sf facility now features new gathering spaces, new technology, and design updates that are adapted to the needs of today’s students.
The University of Colorado Boulder opened the renovated Hellems Arts and Sciences Building in April of 2026. Designed by Hacker and Handprint Architecture, the $105.2 million facility houses the departments of english, history, linguistics, and philosophy, as well as the Anderson Language and Technology Center. Flexible, open classrooms will encourage active learning, adapt to new pedagogies, and support both team-based and lecture-oriented educational modalities.
The University of New Mexico is engaged in a visionary renovation of the College of Pharmacy on the institution’s North Campus in Albuquerque. Designed by Vigil & Associates and Architekton, the 96,518-sf facility is undergoing a comprehensive transformation to create a sophisticated home for future pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. Flexible, leading-edge classrooms and research laboratories will be accompanied by collaboration venues that bring learners, faculty, and community partners together.
The University of Oklahoma is planning the $450 million Palace Project to reimagine the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman. Designed by Populous, the renovation of the west side will intentionally decrease seating capacity by 7,000 to add 47 suites, 64 loge boxes, and approximately 4,000 club seats. The fan experience will be elevated by improved sightlines, a more spacious environment, ADA-compliant seating, and new gathering spaces, including six premium club and lounge venues.
Every new building is a gamble on the future, but some are bigger bets than others. These days, one of the highest-stakes wagers campus planners must make is how much to upgrade their high-performance facilities to meet tomorrow’s demand. It isn’t an easy call. Once relegated to distant basements, computer labs are now being built right in the heart of campus, a reflection of their ever-growing importance. With the number of majors that utilize high-performance computing expected to rise nationally by the end of the decade and the growing importance of cutting-edge supercomputers in recruiting the very best scholars, the overall direction is clear. But a lot can go wrong, which makes planning tomorrow’s high- performance computing facilities today very complicated and potentially risky.
LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) is planning to begin construction in January of 2027 on the Research Expansion Project. Designed by Flad Architects in association with Prevot Design and Sutton Beebe Babin Architects, the strategic development will create a new hub for biomedical discovery through the adaptive reuse of an existing 181,000-sf mall. The first $90 million phase of renovation will transform 92,500 sf of space to house the Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Facility.
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center is engaged in a major expansion and renovation of its campus in Plains Township, Pa. The $900 million project will optimize the delivery of crucial services and transform healthcare access throughout the region. The centerpiece of the initiative is an 11-story patient tower featuring entirely private patient rooms. Designed by Francis Cauffman Architects (FCA), this world-class facility will add 144 new beds, with 58 medical/surgical beds, increasing total capacity from 356 to 500.
Carnegie Mellon University’s Highmark Center for Health, Wellness and Athletics represents the largest in a series of recent initiatives designed to enhance the student experience and boost the university’s competitive appeal. It also marks a definitive break from the old “sink-or-swim” posture that characterized campus environments across the country for decades.
