Higher Education

The University of Missouri (MU) will eliminate 750,000 sf of education and general facilities space by 2023 in order to reduce costs and improve overall space quality and utilization. The initiative will allow the university to save approximately $153 million in deferred maintenance, capital renewal, and plant adaption costs, as well as about $5 million in annual operating costs. It’s an ambitious undertaking, considering that the 1,200-acre main campus in Columbia, Mo., has 7 million sf of education and general facility space spread across 185 major buildings. To meet the 10 percent reduction goal over the next four years, the university will strategically demolish, divest, relocate, and rebuild a data-driven selection of aging or under-utilized buildings.

Dixie State University broke ground on the $58 million Science, Engineering & Technology Building in October of 2019 in St. George, Utah. Designed by VCBO Architecture with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the five-story, 120,000-sf facility will promote experiential education with numerous active-learning classrooms and 26 science, engineering, and technology labs.

Florida Institute of Technology will break ground in spring of 2020 on the $18 million Health Sciences Research Center in Melbourne, Fla. Enabling the university to expand its biomedical engineering and premedical programs, the 61,000-sf facility will include a sophisticated anatomy lab with virtual dissection tables, an imaging suite with florescent and laser scanning microscopes, and labs for orthopedic research, tissue engineering, and computer modeling and simulation. The three-story center will also provide 20,000 sf of instructional and training space.

Ball State University opened the $62.5 million Health Professions Building in October of 2019 in Muncie, Ind. Housing the College of Health, the 165,000-sf project includes two structures, of four and five stories respectively, joined by a central core. Designed by RATIO Architects, the interdisciplinary facility provides active learning classrooms, labs, offices, clinical spaces, and a resource hub.

Tufts University is building the $90 million Joyce Cummings Center in Medford, Mass. Providing classrooms, auditoria, research labs, and collaboration spaces, the 148,000-gsf facility will accommodate programs in computer science, economics, and mathematics. Offering six stories and a basement level, the building will house the Data Intensive Studies Center, the Fletcher Executive Education and Global Master of Arts program, and the Tufts Gordon Institute.

Arizona State University broke ground in October of 2019 on a new headquarters for the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix. The $67 million facility will feature an open design that integrates learning environments, meeting rooms, study areas, offices, and a large event space. The five-story, 112,000-sf building will house the Global Forum, an interactive venue that will allow international presenters to address and engage with students via remote access.

Most academic science buildings constructed in the mid-20th century were not designed to support the interdisciplinary, collaborative, and entrepreneurial dynamics of modern engineering teaching and research that occupy these buildings today. While motivations for renovation can range from the need to update outdated building systems, to the desire to improve the school’s ability to recruit new talent and donors, most major renewal projects share similar challenges of aging infrastructure, complex logistics, and phased implementation. Using examples from recent renovations at Cornell University, Ohio State University, and the University of Massachusetts, principals from Perkins+Will share how these and other challenges can be addressed.

Rowan University and Rutgers University opened the $70 million Joint Health Sciences Center in October of 2019 in Camden, N.J. Designed by HOK to accommodate multiple institutions, the $70 million project provides leading-edge labs and learning environments to empower joint research initiatives and promote interdisciplinary collaboration.

Baldwin Wallace University broke ground in October of 2019 on the $25 million Austin E. Knowlton STEM Center in Berea, Ohio. Part of the school's strategic plan to meet the needs of growing industries for skilled graduates, the two-story, 55,000-sf project will accommodate programs in data science, artificial intelligence, mathematical modeling, cybersecurity, robotics, engineering, and physics.

Purdue University will begin construction in spring of 2020 on the $108 million Veterinary Teaching Hospital in West Lafayette, Ind. Accommodating equine, small animal, and farm animal patients, the 175,290-gsf facility will support translational research programs to enable the development of new therapeutics and technologies that may have applications for human health.

Dartmouth College began construction in October of 2019 on the $100 million Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society in Hanover, N.H. Designed by Goody Clancy to promote an integrated approach to problem solving, the 55,000-gsf facility will accommodate programs in engineering, environmental studies, geopolitics, business, and economics. The three-story structure will be physically connected to Murdough Hall by an atrium, creating a natural point of convergence for faculty and students from across campus to collaborate on energy-related projects.

The University of New Mexico completed construction of the $67 million Physics, Astronomy, and Interdisciplinary Science Center in Albuquerque in October of 2019. Designed by EYP Architecture & Engineering and Van H. Gilbert, the 139,100-gsf facility houses the department of physics and astronomy as well as accommodating research programs in bioinformatics, genomics, electron microscopy, optics, spatial informatics, stable isotopes, and human and primate biomedical research.

Almost every field of endeavor has been supercharged in recent years by the advent of “big data”—the ability of computers to process and analyze large data sets to gather insights. The business of creating student spaces on campuses is no different. June Hanley and Scott Foral of HDR have used big data in several projects, and offer some wisdom on how to turn raw data into actionable results.

The University of Central Arkansas broke ground in October of 2019 on the $37.7 million Integrated Health Sciences Building in Conway. Designed by Taggart Architects, the 80,000-sf facility will provide technology-rich classrooms and collaboration spaces for the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences.

The University of Rhode Island opened the $150 million Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering in September of 2019 in Kingston. Designed by Ballinger to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, the six-story, 190,000-sf facility provides three large active-learning classrooms, teaching and research labs, core instrumentation suites, two computer labs, a robotics lab, a 24/7 student maker space, and capstone project areas. The building also offers 90 faculty offices, six faculty lounges, and six conference rooms.