Calif. School Debuts New $66.5M Academic Building

California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), located in Carson, Calif., recently completed construction on its new, $66.5-million Innovation and Instruction Building. The 107,600-square-foot space was designed to support active learning and encourage collaboration among students and faculty, according to a news release. The building stands four stories and features amenities like a 250-seat auditorium, a 120-seat active learning classroom, two case-study rooms with 60 seats each, meeting rooms and computer labs, faculty and administrative office space, and a café.

The university partnered with builder C.W. Driver Companies and architecture firm HGA Architects & Engineers. C.W. Driver completed a Science and Innovation Building for CSUDH in 2019.

California State University Dominguez Hills Innovation Instruction Building
Photo credit: Chase Magdaleno, Drone Works Media

“We have enjoyed our partnership with CSUDH, lending our years of experience constructing projects for California universities to complete another cutting-edge facility designed to support the evolving needs of higher education,” said project executive Tom Jones with C.W. Driver Companies. “With several active learning classrooms and external collaboration areas, interaction and continuous learning are encouraged among students and educators.”

The facility opened for classes in time for the spring 2022 semester. In addition to the services listed above, it also plays home to the College of Business Administration and Public Policy. The building’s second floor includes a simulated trading room featuring lighted ticker tape information.

“The outstanding design and dynamic quality of the Innovation and Instruction Building are ushering in a new era of campus facilities that matches the caliber of the academics taking place,” said Roshni Thomas, director of facilities planning, design and construction at CSUDH. “The C.W. Driver team was an excellent partner in bringing our vision to life, helping us to navigate this challenging period for construction.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Sam Houston State University Completes Athletic Stadium Renovations

    Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, recently announced the reopening of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium after an extensive renovation project, according to a news release. The university partnered with Stantec and DLR Group for the project’s design.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.