Husson University broke ground in June of 2020 on the $17.2 million Center for Business in Bangor, Maine. Offering technology-rich classrooms for experiential learning, the 42,500-sf structure will feature the IEX Center, a unique facility that will leverage virtual and augmented reality modalities to deliver immersive experiences related to courses at Husson.
The University of Mount Union has created an innovative plan to safely resume instructional and residential operations in fall of 2020 in Alliance, Ohio. As well as making modifications to all areas of campus including classrooms, housing, dining areas, and group meeting spaces, the university will implement the Social Distancing Learning Model which includes both face-to-face and remote instruction.
Washington State University Tri-Cities is constructing the $30 million Academic Confluence Building in Richland. Designed by ZGF Architects with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the 40,000-sf facility will feature state-of-the-art teaching labs for programs in physics, biology, chemistry, geology, engineering, and anatomy and physiology.
Rutgers University’s new 110,000-sf, $84 million Richard Weeks Hall of Engineering, designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) and opened in 2018, provides state-of-the-art teaching suites and labs for concept development, pilot manufacturing, high-bay testing, rapid prototyping, and microfabrication in an interdisciplinary environment that serves students, faculty, and industry. In addition to smart classroom configurations, flexible learning laboratories, and collaborative work space, the building itself serves as a lab and allows for data gathering and hands-on learning. Rutgers’ 2014 strategic plan identified its School of Engineering as central to the university’s growth and success, and this LEED Gold-certified facility represents the first step in a physical master plan that supports both the school and university strategic plans.
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is renovating the Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation in Omaha. Designed by Altus Architectural Studio, the $86 million project includes the redevelopment of an existing structure to create an integrated 220,078-sf facility for the treatment of patients with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Doubling the current size of the institute, the building will house the interdisciplinary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, the Warren G.
The University of California, San Diego is planning to break ground in late 2020 on the Future College Living and Learning Neighborhood in La Jolla, Calif. Designed by HKS Architects and EYRC, the five-building, 900,000-sf complex will provide general-use classrooms, a 480-seat auditorium, a conference center, administrative offices, dining and retail amenities, and residential accommodation for approximately 2,000 undergraduate students.
With this virtual school year coming to a close, college and university administrators are striving to envision how their campuses, and particularly learning spaces, might adjust in the near term when students return; 70 percent of institutions are working toward a fall reopening, according to the Chronical of Higher Education. Everything is on the table, from the physical (less dense seating in lecture halls, classrooms, and libraries; dividers between desks; and greater use of technology to reduce human contact) to the operational, including staggered schedules, enhanced cleaning protocols, new student codes of conduct, and strict pedestrian traffic flows. In order for these plans to succeed, alterations in the physical plant must be coupled with a comprehensive change management strategy for students, faculty, and staff.
The University of Texas at San Antonio is building the $41.5 million Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence (RACE). Designed by Populous and Marmon Mok, the 94,773-sf structure will create a vibrant home for UTSA Athletics, as well as providing enhanced recruiting opportunities for student athletes, coaches, and general enrollment. The two-story building will offer 7,000 sf of academic space, including a 1,000-sf study hall, 10 private tutoring suites, a classroom, a computer lab, and staff offices.
American University is constructing the $90 million Hall of Science in Washington, D.C. Designed to promote innovation and collaboration, the 125,000-sf building will provide shared research areas where students and faculty can participate in joint projects with scientists from the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Erlab, a leading provider of air filtration solutions, is presenting a webinar on the mitigation of chemical risks in the laboratory at 10:00 AM BST on May 29, 2020. The one-and-a-half hour session will explore strategies for treating chemical risks at the source to enhance occupant safety and promote operational efficiency.
Visit GoToWebinar to register.
The webinar is also being offered in Spanish, Polish, French, and Maghreb French on separate days:
Envision a highly adaptable, flexible, and sustainable research building, with maximized lab square footage and a thriving, collaborative, and cross-disciplinary environment. Arizona State University attained this vision of a workhorse facility through a first-time building delivery partnership. Both the vision and its realization focus on answering one question: How much research space can we get? “Through the lens of a ‘space manager,’ I’m always trying to get the highest and best use of space out of the university’s available square footage,” explains Erik Halle, senior director of Research Facilities and Infrastructure at Arizona State. “With Biodesign C, we wanted to see how far we could push that.”
Montana State University Billings is renovating and expanding an existing structure to create the 80,000-sf Yellowstone Science and Allied Health Building. Designed by Dowling Studio Architects with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the $15 million project includes the construction of a three-story, 30,000-sf addition that will provide 16 teaching labs, 11 research labs, classrooms, study spaces, and a shared equipment core.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is renovating and expanding its engineering complex to provide leading-edge environments for learning and discovery. The $75 million project will replace an existing 25,300-sf structure with an 87,000-sf research facility connecting the Scott Engineering Center to Nebraska Hall. The four-story, 177,000-gsf Scott Engineering Center will be renovated to provide new undergraduate teaching labs, research labs, classrooms, and departmental offices.
Colorado State University broke ground in May of 2020 on the $60 million Vida building in Denver. The 114,000-sf facility represents the first phase of construction at CSU's $200 million Spur campus at the National Western Center. The 250-acre site is being redeveloped to create a vibrant hub for the exploration of global issues including human and animal health, water quality, and sustainable food systems.
The London School of Economics and Political Science is constructing the £100 million Paul Marshall Building in the United Kingdom. Designed by Grafton Architects, the 183,000-sf building will house the Marshall Institute for Philanthropy and Social Entrepreneurship as well as instructional spaces, research centers, arts rehearsal facilities, sports and fitness amenities, and departmental offices. Featuring an expansive ground-floor interaction commons, the 10-story structure will include two basement levels and a split-level rooftop terrace.
