Higher Education

Kettering University broke ground on the $63 million Learning Commons in January of 2020 in Flint, Mich. Designed by Stantec as a vibrant laboratory for experiential learning, the four-story, 105,000-sf facility will provide a digital library, a 300-seat auditorium, maker spaces, conference rooms, media resource centers, dining amenities, and collaborative project studios where students can work with faculty and industry partners. Illuminated by natural light, the structure will feature flexible, technology-rich gathering areas with writable surfaces.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham is planning to construct the $78.5 million Science and Engineering Complex. Designed by Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, the 145,784-sf multidisciplinary facility will house interactive research labs, technology-rich classrooms, faculty and staff offices, and multiple collaboration rooms for team learning. The first phase of the project will create a $64.5 million, 115,000-sf structure accommodating the Department of Biology, the Department of Physics, and lab and support space for the Department of Chemistry.

Maker spaces, active learning labs, and multidisciplinary collaboration spaces have become essential elements for educational engineering facilities nationwide, as academic institutions respond to the demands of modern industry. In addition to providing the robust infrastructure and fabrication tools engineering students need to develop practical skills, another important element of these space types is an emphasis on teamwork, entrepreneurship, and commercial viability. This means positioning maker and capstone project spaces in close proximity to meeting rooms, support spaces, and team collaboration zones. High-profile maker spaces also serve to help institutions increase industry partnership opportunities as well as student and faculty recruitment.

Rowan University is constructing the $46.7 million Discovery Hall in Glassboro, N.J. Providing a holistic learning environment for STEM programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the four-story, 68,000-sf facility will offer six active-learning classrooms, six lecture classrooms, two conference rooms, student collaboration spaces, and faculty offices.

Central Michigan University opened the $26 million Center for Integrated Health Studies in January of 2020 in Mount Pleasant. Supporting an interdisciplinary pedagogy for the delivery of team-based care, the 50,000-sf facility features the Interpersonal Education Center housing a two-room simulation suite with advanced mannequins, as well as eight patient exam rooms for interactive scenario training.

The University of Iowa opened the $96.3 million College of Pharmacy in January of 2020 in Iowa City. Designed by OPN Architects and The S/L/A/M Collaborative, the 228,371-sf facility features a pharmacy practice simulation center, 23 instructional spaces, 16 flexible research labs, collaboration areas, and a 128-seat lecture hall for team-based learning. The structure stands six stories above grade, with a lower level housing two sterile production lines, a warehouse, and a vault to store controlled substances.

The University of Maryland is constructing the $60 million E. A. Fernandez IDEA Factory in College Park. Supporting the Clark School of Engineering's mission to innovate, design, and engineer for America (IDEA), the five-story, 60,000-sf building will feature open student workspaces, prototyping suites, and studios for design and instruction. The multidisciplinary facility will physically connect to the Jeong H.

Marquette University is planning to break ground in spring of 2021 on the $60 million College of Business Administration in Milwaukee. Designed by BNIM Architects and Workshop Architects, the four-story, 100,000-sf facility will feature flexible classrooms and laboratories, a pitch stage, and a multipurpose event venue. Offering an open and transparent environment for collaborative learning, the building will accommodate innovation leadership programs as well as providing integrated career and advising services.

The University of Iowa dedicated the $33.5 million Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences building in Iowa City in January of 2020. Creating a new gateway to the east side of campus, the 66,470-sf teaching and research facility provides technology-rich classrooms and labs, administrative offices, conference rooms, and breakout spaces. Supporting programs in neuroscience, psychology, computational modeling, and virtual reality, the six-story structure features an interior plaza and a learning commons to promote interaction and collaboration.

Sacred Heart University will begin construction in summer of 2020 on a $60 million hockey and skating complex in Fairfield, Conn. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative and JLG Architects, the project will include an expansive ice arena capable of accommodating 4,000 spectators. The multifunctional facility will also be used to host special events such as guest lectures, concerts, and convocations.

The University of British Columbia opened the renovated and expanded Life Science Teaching Laboratories in January of 2020 in Vancouver. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects and HDR, the interdisciplinary complex provides active learning environments, classrooms, study spaces, faculty offices, and state-of-the-art teaching and research labs.

Construction of the $65 million Wanek School of Natural Sciences at High Point University (HPU) in North Carolina is part of a campus transformation that began in 2005. The 127,417-sf Wanek building, which opened in August 2019 to house the biology, chemistry, and physics departments, is helping HPU meet the demand for more space to accommodate an increasing number of students and faculty.

Texas A&M University dedicated the College of Dentistry's $127 million Clinic and Education Building in Dallas in January of 2020. Designed by Kahler Slater and BRW Architects, the 160,000-sf facility provides specialized clinics, clinical support spaces, faculty offices, classrooms, study areas, and approximately 300 dental chair stations. Supporting a new curriculum for team-based learning, the collaborative building will enable students to participate in an innovative group practice model for the delivery of patient-centric care.

Oklahoma State University is planning to break ground in spring of 2021 on a $100 million facility for the College of Agriculture in Stillwater. Designed to promote hands-on, experiential learning, the building will offer flexible teaching and research labs, dynamic classrooms, collaboration spaces, and faculty offices. Occupancy is expected in fall of 2023. OSU is also building the $7.1 million Animal Nutrition and Physiology Center.

West Virginia University is constructing a $100 million facility for the John Chambers College of Business and Economics in Morgantown. Designed to reflect the modern workplace environment, Reynolds Hall will feature technology-enabled classrooms and labs for team-based experiential learning. The collaborative facility will include a shared atrium, venues for large gatherings and events, faculty and staff offices, a fitness center, and entrepreneurial zones for business incubation and acceleration.