Laboratory: Teaching

The University of Nevada, Reno is planning to break ground in fall of 2026 on a $137 million life sciences building. Located in the Mathewson University Gateway District, the 89,000-sf facility will provide leading-edge environments for both the College of Science and the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources. The technology-rich center will feature 18 research labs for programs in chemical ecology, neuroscience, and molecular and cellular biology, along with associated support areas and offices.

Auburn University broke ground in February of 2026 on the Barbara Drummond Thorne Academic and Research Facility in Auburn, Ala. This vibrant new home for the College of Human Sciences will house nationally ranked and recognized programs in global studies, interior design, philanthropy and nonprofit studies, nutrition and dietetics, human development and family studies, and apparel merchandising, design, and production management.

Vincennes University celebrated the opening of the $33.9 million Center for Health Sciences and Learning Innovation in January of 2026 in Vincennes, Ind. As the new home for the College of Health Sciences and Human Performance, the 72,000-sf structure provides ultramodern classrooms and teaching labs for programs in nursing and allied health professions. Shared instructional venues for active learning are complemented by collaborative lounges, breakout spaces, and study areas.

Harris-Stowe State University broke ground in January of 2026 on a $62.3 million STEM building in St. Louis. This future-ready hub for learning and discovery will advance the University’s mission to prepare students for high-demand careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Designed by LJC, the 82,443-sf facility will include sophisticated teaching and research labs, maker spaces, and multifunctional classrooms that can be configured to mirror real-world work environments.

The University of New Mexico is planning to create a new home for the School of Medicine in Albuquerque. The 330,000-sf building will act as a gateway to UNM's North Campus, which accommodates the existing Health Sciences Center and UNM Hospital. Shaped by the vision of ZGF Architects and McClain + Yu Architecture & Design, the transformational development is expected to double enrollment capacity over the next decade to address the demand for more providers across the region.

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls opened the Science and Technology Innovation Center (SciTech) in January of 2026. Designed by BWBR Architects, the $117 million building features immersive environments for hands-on discovery. The three-story, 134,560-gsf structure offers a maker space, active learning studios, 12 instructional labs, and three wet research labs. This nexus of experiential education also provides 32 undergraduate research spaces, an optics lab, computational labs, offices, and conference rooms.

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.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney opened the $95 million Health Science Education Center II in January of 2026. Created in collaboration with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the 110,000-sf facility addresses a pressing need for more healthcare providers in underserved areas. The architectural vision of RDG Planning & Design created a dynamic environment for programs in medicine, nursing, and allied health.

California State University, Bakersfield broke ground on the Energy Innovation Building (EIB) in January of 2026. Designed by AC Martin, the 56,000-sf facility will advance STEM education and accelerate the creation of a highly skilled workforce in the region. The three-story structure will provide more than 10,000 sf of teaching lab space, over 8,000 sf of research space, 1,500 sf of student collaboration space, and 20 offices for faculty and staff.

Vanderbilt University is expanding its national footprint by establishing an academic campus in San Francisco. The former California College of the Arts (CCA) site will be transformed into a new destination for education, collaboration, and global engagement beginning in 2027. Serving approximately 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students, the project represents the next step in the university's strategic growth and builds on recent initiatives in New York City and West Palm Beach.

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.

The University of South Carolina is constructing the School of Medicine Columbia as the centerpiece of its $300 million Health Sciences Campus. Supporting the institution’s evolving approach to medical pedagogy and discovery, the 330,000-sf building will feature active learning classrooms, leading-edge simulation spaces, wet and dry labs, and a health science library.

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.

The University of Waikato broke ground in December of 2025 on the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine at the heart of its Hamilton campus. Designed by Chow:Hill Architects, the 59,202-sf facility will initially accommodate 120 students per year with the capacity to expand to cohorts of 160 in the future. The NZD 230 million (USD 132.2 million) building will feature a variety of purpose-built teaching environments to enable the delivery of an innovative pedagogy that emphasizes hands-on experience and technology-rich educational modalities.