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

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

    Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam.

  • Kimball International Releases Curated Design Support Program

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced the launch of a new end-to-end design support program, DesignSuite. According to a news release, its goal is to guide architecture & design professionals and dealer partners through the process from vision to specification.

  • Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, OR

    Preserving Legacy, Designing for the Future

    As historic academic buildings age, institutions face a difficult decision: preserve and adapt or demolish and rebuild. How do we honor the legacy of these spaces while adapting them to meet the needs of modern learners?