Higher Education

Virginia Tech opened the first building on its Innovation Campus in Alexandria in January of 2025. SmithGroup designed the 300,000-gsf facility to provide leading-edge environments for academic and research programs in computer science and engineering, as well as space for the Pamplin College of Business. Featuring specialized laboratories, a drone testing cage, and a two-story maker space, the 11-story development houses 14 classrooms, wellness venues for students and faculty, and the 3,000-sf Boeing Auditorium.

Arizona State University completed construction in January of 2025 on the $78 million University Gateway Building (UGB) in Tempe. Forging a vibrant link between the west campus entrance and the Mill Avenue district of downtown, the 128,000-sf structure integrates classroom, administrative, mixed-use, and retail space to meet educational needs while maximizing land use.

The University of Alabama will begin construction in early 2025 on a new High Performance Computing and Data Center (HPC) to serve academic needs, strategic partners, and the Office of Research and Economic Development. Designed by Davis Architects, the 40,000-gsf structure will house the fastest supercomputer in Alabama, a petascale system capable of performing quadrillions of calculations per second.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa will break ground in early 2025 on a major capital improvement project to foster collaboration, engagement, and community on its Honolulu campus. The first phase comprises the construction of the five-story, 77,575-sf Interdisciplinary Learning Facility. On the first two floors, the academic building will feature 16 classrooms of various sizes available for all departments and programs.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is building a $105 million health sciences building for the School of Pharmacy and the School of Nursing. Designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative and Christner Architects, the 176,000-sf facility will offer teaching and research labs, a vivarium, and modern classrooms and study areas. As well as administrative offices, the three-story structure will accommodate programs in pharmacogenomics, synthetic chemistry, biochemistry, and microbiology.

The University of Salford is planning to construct a world-class facility for the Acoustics Department’s teaching, research, and commercial activities on the Peel Park campus in the United Kingdom. Furthering the institution's global reputation for acoustics and sound engineering, the purpose-built facility will feature environments that meet the highest technical specifications and measurement standards. Flexible instructional spaces will be complemented by sophisticated labs and research venues to support one of the largest acoustics research groups in the world.

The University of Chicago is planning to construct a world-class center for science and engineering on the Hyde Park campus. The 398,160-gsf research and teaching building will house the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, as well as adding capacity for the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE). Created in partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the CQE Project promises to establish Chicago as a nexus for quantum innovation and has been awarded $175 million in state funding. 

The University of Kansas is planning to begin construction in summer of 2026 on the Makers' KUbe in the heart of its Lawrence campus. The School of Architecture & Design will occupy the $120 million facility and collaborated on its design with Bjarke Ingels Group, BNIM, and StructureCraft. Showcasing timber tectonics, traditional joinery, and sustainable materials, the 50,000-sf facility will act as a living curriculum with exposed structural and MEP systems.

The University of Waterloo is constructing the CAD110 million Mathematics 4 (M4) to accommodate growing programs in computer science, statistics, and related STEM disciplines. The 120,000-sf building will position the institution to harness its expertise in technology to revolutionize health care, address the climate crisis, improve cybersecurity, and create a more equitable society. M4 will develop the data-fluent, entrepreneurial leaders of tomorrow with spaces that enable experiential learning and discovery.

The University of South Carolina is planning to begin construction in 2025 on the School of Medicine Columbia. Serving as the centerpiece of a $300 million campus, the 300,000-sf facility will feature active learning classrooms, extensive medical simulation spaces, interdisciplinary laboratories, and a health science library. An adjoining biomedical research wing will advance the creation of novel therapies and treatments, with a central landscaped courtyard offering settings for informal exchange.

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.