Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

BGSU Breaks Ground on School of the Built Environment Facility

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/01/21

Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, held a groundbreaking ceremony last week for a new School of the Built Environment facility. Once complete, the building will play home to the construction management and architecture and environmental design programs. The project comes with a $10.4-million price tag and is scheduled for completion during the 2022-23 academic year.

The work includes a 22,900-square-foot expansion of an existing academic building on Park Avenue, which currently houses the architecture and environmental design program, and the new construction of an adjacent building. The new space will feature a 6,500-square-foot innovation lab for fabrication and construction classes, two digital labs, a materials and soils lab, classrooms and collaboration spaces.

“Having both programs under one location allows students in architecture and environmental design and construction management to learn from each other, which better prepares them for working on multidisciplinary teams,” said Dr. Joe B. Whitehead Jr., BGSU provost and senior vice president for Academic and Student Affairs. “It also allows our faculty to engage in collaborative research that will provide a deeper understanding of both fields, enhancing collaborative opportunities and driving student success.”

The School of the Built Environment is the only one of its kind in the state. BGSU also offers one of two Construction Management programs in Ohio and about 60 nationwide accredited by the American Council for Construction Education. The Park Avenue building had been previously renovated in 2014 to feature amenities like studios, a materials and reference library, a print room with plotters and laser cutters and an administrative suite for the architecture and environmental design program.

“As a public university for the public good, BGSU recognizes the importance of educating construction management students who understand design and architecture students who understand construction,” said BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers. “This innovative facility will increase collaboration in the School of the Built Environment, and it will better serve students, who will be prepared for productive careers and meet the workforce needs in Ohio and beyond.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, 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.

  • FGCU Breaks Ground on New Health Sciences Building

    Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has launched construction on a major new academic facility that leaders say will reshape healthcare education in Southwest Florida for decades to come, according to university news.