New Academic Hub Planned for Drury University

SPRINGFIELD, MO – Drury University has announced Cooper Robertson as architect for its new Enterprise Center, a major academic building set to rise on the institution’s growing Springfield, MO, campus — and its first building project to be developed based on Cooper Robertson’s 2017 master plan.

Drury University Academic Center

Rendering courtesy of Cooper Robertson

Designed in collaboration with Trivers Associates architects, the vision for the three-story, 54,772-square-foot Enterprise Center includes space for Drury's business and political science academic programs, as well as for high-tech student collaborative areas, facilities for guidance services and an executive conference center. According to Drury leaders, the project highlights an emphasis on entrepreneurship, innovation and interdisciplinary learning, and reflects the master plan’s recommendations for strategic moves that address the needs of today’s students in a rapidly changing world.

Other key features of the new building include an 11,000-square-foot Center for Executive Education attached by a colonnade to the main building. This conference center and flexible event space will be used extensively by the entire Drury campus as well as the greater Springfield community, reflecting the master plan’s goal of more tightly weaving Drury University into the fabric of its surrounding neighborhoods.

Groundbreaking is anticipated for spring 2020.

Featured

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.

  • Upcoming University of Alabama Performing Arts Center Hits Construction Milestone

    The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., recently celebrated the topping out of its new Smith Family Center for Performing Arts, according to a news release. The university is partnering with HPM for program and project management on the facility, which broke ground in 2023 and is scheduled for completion in November 2026.

  • Abstract tech network data connections with orange, blue glowing dots, lines

    3 Trends for Higher Education to Stay Ahead of in 2026

    As universities enter the new year, the question is no longer whether digital transformation is necessary, but how quickly institutions can convert technological potential into strategic advantage.

Digital Edition