The University of West Florida broke ground in April of 2026 on an advanced intelligence, cybersecurity, and engineering research facility in Pensacola. Building 129, also known as the Synapse, was designed by Caldwell Architects and Perkins&Will to serve as the base for the Center for Computational Intelligence and the Center for Cybersecurity and AI.
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.
The University of California, Berkeley held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in May of 2026 to celebrate the approaching completion of the Barbara and Gerson Bakar Gateway building. The $557 million facility will house the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS) and bring together approximately 1,325 faculty, students, and staff to elevate education and accelerate AI-driven discovery.
The College of the Desert is constructing a $268 million campus in Palm Springs, Calif. Designed by WRNS Studio, this regional hub for education and workforce training will offer dry labs, maker spaces, AI-enabled environments, and immersive studios. The development’s main facility, The Accelerator, will house programs in digital media and arts, healthcare, and architecture. Technology-driven classrooms will prioritize flexibility to support innovative teaching and learning methodologies.
The University of Michigan is constructing the Center for Innovation in Detroit to accelerate technology-focused research and train the next generation of skilled workers. Designed by KPF, the $250 million facility will act as a powerful engine for job creation and inclusive talent development by accommodating both degree-based offerings and instructional courses for non-students in a range of fields.
The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) began construction in February of 2026 on the Center for Cybersecurity Research, Education & Advanced Training. Designed by McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, the $48 million project will transform the Bevill Center, a hotel and conference venue, into an interdisciplinary nexus for collaboration, learning, and discovery.
Facing the mandate to grow university research expenditures to $1 billion by 2028, Arizona State University’s (ASU) Research Space Planning group was charged with determining how much lab space would be required to meet that goal and what the cost would be. Under the leadership of senior director Erik Halle, the planning group engaged in a multi-stage process analyzing utilization and cost data, benchmarking, and incorporating user feedback to arrive at the answer. Introducing new practices like improved lab-to-gross-square-foot ratios and the recovery of underutilized space, among other measures, culminated in meeting the $1 billion target almost three years early without additional construction.
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) is constructing the Science and Health Sciences Building to expand undergraduate research capacity and create an anchor for a new innovation cluster. Designed by HOK and Potter Lawson, the $340.3 million structure will provide dynamic facilities for STEM courses and programs in nursing, psychology, pre-professional health sciences, public health, and environmental studies.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) is constructing the $145 million Healthcare Delivery & Innovation Building to provide leading-edge environments for immersive learning, training, and discovery. Shaped by the architectural expertise of RDG Planning & Design and Clark & Enersen, the 160,000-sf facility will enable the next generation of medical professionals to gain hands-on experience in the delivery of team-based care.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building (ALGEN) is the product of a down-to-the-concrete renovation that transformed an aging, nondescript health sciences research facility into a modern, light-filled home to seven floors of four different dry lab phenotypes. The building is topped by an executive floor that, for the first time, brings together key leadership of the university’s health system and Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM). Fresh glazing on an expanse stretching over a busy downtown street creates a striking double helix pattern that telegraphs the building’s mission. A newly constructed conference center adjoins the renovated structure.
William & Mary opened the Integrated Science Center 4 (ISC4) in January of 2026 in Williamsburg, Va. Designed by Goody Clancy with Baskervill as interior design architect, the $103 million facility provides a vibrant home for the School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics, the university's first new school in 50 years. The visionary project included 124,000 gsf of new construction, augmented by 10,000 gsf of renovated space to establish a link to the existing ISC complex.
The University of Victoria is expanding the footprint of the Department of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) with two highly sustainable facilities. The CAD 89.6 million project includes the construction of a six-story addition to the ECS building to provide biomedical, geotechnical, materials, building science, and environmental and hydraulics labs. Featuring active learning venues and undergraduate design studios, the development will also house graduate student workstations, faculty collaboration spaces, computer labs, and departmental offices.
Christopher Newport University opened the Science and Engineering Research Center in January of 2026 in Newport News, Va. Catalyzing innovation and interdisciplinary exchange, the 83,000-sf building was designed by Glavé & Holmes Architecture to provide state-of-the art environments for learning and discovery. The Robotics and Autonomous Systems Lab offers a dedicated assembly zone alongside a two-story open area equipped with a motion capture system for the testing of drones and other technologies.
Florida State University opened a new home for its Herbert Wertheim College of Business in January of 2026 in Tallahassee. Designed by Goody Clancy, Legacy Hall aims to catalyze excellence in education, research, and innovation. The $160 million facility provides a 300-seat auditorium, multiple 100-seat lecture halls, leading-edge classrooms, and dedicated zones to forge connections between faculty, students, and industry partners.
Michigan State University is planning to construct the Leinweber Center for Engineering and Digital Innovation in East Lansing. Supporting increased enrollment for undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts, the $340 million facility will house the colleges of engineering, natural science, business, social science, arts and letters, and communication arts and sciences.
