Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

VMA Breaks Ground on Lehigh University’s New College of Business

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/23/21

Voith & Mactavish Architects, LLP (VMA) recently broke ground on the new Lehigh University College of Business in Bethlehem, Pa. The 74,000-square-foot structure is slated to open in fall 2022 and contain 16 experiential learning spaces for the business school. These include spaces like a business incubator, a mock trading floor, data analytics rooms, a production studio, a corporate-style conference center, and an executive education suite.

“New findings in pedagogy show that students learn best when they are engaged in discovering solutions for open-ended, real-world problems,” said Sennah Loftus, Associate Principal at VMA and the project’s lead designer. “With spaces like the business incubator and mock trading floor, we are creating places where professors can inspire students to test, explore and discover.”

Lehigh University College of Business

Each classroom will be fully integrated with modern technology to allow for hybrid and online learning, as appropriate. The building also features informal meeting and study areas to encourage communication and collaboration. “We are moving beyond the traditional classroom arrangement, where the professor stands and talks and the students sit there passively taking notes, to more immersive learning environments that engage students as partners in their education,” said Georgette Chapman Phillips, the Dean of the College of Business.

The new facility will replace a parking lot and two administrative buildings to stand diagonally to the existing business school building, the Rauch Business Center. A press release states that it will serve as an anchor in the area that unifies the campus to make it more cohesive. “I think this is really going to help knit together the College of Business, Rauch Business Center, and Zoellner Arts Center, pulling those into a more coherent campus experience,” said Brent Stringfellow, University Architect and Associate Vice President of Facilities.

Construction on the new business center was originally supposed to start in 2020, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Construction Begins on 100+ Acre K–12 Campus Designed for Lakota Culture

    The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) and the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School District in Eagle Butte, S.D., recently broke ground on a new K–12 campus that will cover more than 100 acres and serve students and families across 1,600 square miles, according to a news release.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.

  • California District Opens New Robotics Center

    The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) in Cupertino, Calif., recently held a Grand Opening ceremony for a new, district-wide Robotics Center, according to a news release. The 14,500-square-foot facility was designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA); Landmark Constructors served as the builder and Blach Construction as general construction manager.

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.