Higher Education

Construction has begun on the College of the Desert's $268 million campus in Palm Springs, Calif. Designed by WRNS Studio, this regional hub for education and innovation will provide dry labs, maker spaces, and studios for architecture, recording, and film. With multiple buildings spanning 27 acres, the 175,000-sf complex features The Accelerator, a two-story structure accommodating programs in digital media and arts, healthcare, and architecture.

The University of Pennsylvania opened the $173 million Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science & Technology in December of 2024 in Philadelphia. Designed by Behnisch Architekten, the seven-story building accommodates the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER), an undergraduate dual-degree initiative run jointly by the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

The Texas A&M University System is constructing the $185 million Law & Education Building in Fort Worth. Designed by Stantec and Pelli Clarke & Partners, the 238,000-sf facility will accommodate the School of Law and provide expanded capacity for the College of Engineering. Fostering industry partnerships and regional economic growth, the eight-story structure will feature leading-edge environments for professional programs in business, agriculture, health sciences, and emergency management.

Western Washington University opened Kaiser Borsari Hall in Bellingham in December of 2024. Designed by Perkins&Will, the $73.6 million building offers dynamic settings for growing programs in computer science, electrical engineering, and energy science and technology. Active learning classrooms foster student interaction and discovery, accompanied by teaching and research labs, breakout areas, a multicultural student lounge, and a collaborative commons.

The University of Central Florida broke ground in December of 2024 on the Roth Tower at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando. Representing a pivotal addition to the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village, the 85,600-sf project is made possible by a $90 million commitment of Tourist Development Tax revenues from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. AECOM designed the four-level facility with premium amenities to redefine the fan experience, including expanded club spaces, luxury suites, shaded seating, and all-inclusive food and beverage options.

The University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre finished construction in November of 2024 on an open-access innovation facility for aerospace R&D in the United Kingdom. Expanding the capabilities of the adjacent Factory 2050, the 29,700-sf structure will initially house the Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS) initiative. An expansive factory environment will enable academic, government, and industry partners to work side-by-side, complemented by individual workshops and ancillary spaces.

Clemson University broke ground in November of 2024 on the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine in Clemson, S.C. Addressing a critical shortage of veterinarians in the state and the nation, the $285 million project will enable a distributed pedagogical model that prepares students to go directly to local animal hospitals for training and clinical study.

The University of South Florida broke ground in November of 2024 on a $348.5 million stadium in Tampa. Designed by Populous, the 615,000-sf project will provide the South Florida Bulls football team with a dynamic performance environment that will optimize the experience of fans and athletes alike. The 35,000-seat facility will feature a dedicated student section in the west end that leverages distinctive branding and lighting to create a unique atmosphere.

Marian Spencer Hall at the University of Cincinnati was designed using 20 years of data about the size, orientation, and distribution of various spaces in 20 residence halls. The upshot: Residence halls are not just places for students to sleep. They can set the tone for their ability to study, socialize, and engage with the campus community that will be their home for years. How well the facility achieves that balance can help determine a student’s academic success.

Texas A&M University is planning to construct the Clinical Veterinary Teaching & Research Complex in College Station. Page is partnering with associate architect Foil Wyatt on the design of the $181 million facility, which will advance veterinary education and drive groundbreaking medical research. Offering world-class primary care, the project will also provide sophisticated environments for student training and areas for clinical trials.

Missouri University of Science and Technology is planning to construct the Bioplex, a $130 million facility for advanced research and education in life sciences, biomedicine, and biomedical engineering. ZGF Architects is partnering with Christner Architects to design the 128,000-gsf structure, which represents the final phase of the Havener Arrival Complex. The multidisciplinary building will provide lab environments for 24 research teams, including wet bench labs and associated support spaces, as well as an ABSL-2 vivarium.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) broke ground in October of 2024 on a $120 million facility for the School of Social Work. Designed by Ballinger, this dynamic hub will consolidate activities previously dispersed in numerous locations, as well as accommodating the Master of Social Work and Doctor of Philosophy programs. Modern learning environments that prioritize equity, accessibility, and inclusivity will equip the next generation of changemakers to create new solutions for key societal challenges.

Case Western Reserve University celebrated the official groundbreaking of the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building (ISEB) in October of 2024 in Cleveland. Designed by HGA in partnership with local firm DVA Architecture, the 189,000-sf facility will collocate more than 60 principal investigators from the School of Medicine, the School of Engineering, and the College of Arts and Sciences. The $300 million structure will offer both wet and dry labs, a shared core lab, and advanced technology platforms.

The University of Southern California broke ground in November of 2024 on the $200 million Bloom Football Performance Center in Los Angeles. Designed by HNTB, the 163,000-sf facility will position USC to recruit top national talent as part of its transition to the Big Ten Conference. A strategic redevelopment of the John McKay Center will create a vibrant new home for Trojan Football and support the university's entire student-athlete population.

The vision of biomedical research as a collective effort is resoundingly clear in the $237.5 million Pelotonia Research Center, the first building to be completed in the 350-plus-acre Carmenton district on the campus of The Ohio State University (Ohio State) in Columbus. Opened in May 2023, the center integrates almost 100,000 sf of wet labs, 25,000 sf of computational labs, and 20,000 sf of core labs in a single facility designed to host interdisciplinary collaborations and public-private initiatives that focus on solving some of the most critical health challenges. With life science as the backbone of the research endeavor, current projects range from modeling cancer progressions to 3D printing of patient-specific anatomic models.