Auburn University Starts Construction on College of Education Building

Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., recently announced that construction has begun on a new facility for the College of Education, a university news release reports. The new building will cost an estimated $77 million and has an estimated completion date of spring 2025.

The 167,000-square-foot facility was designed with modern teaching methods and practices in mind and was deliberately created to serve as a student-centered facility. It will feature amenities like collaborative classrooms, instruction labs, upgraded technology, and administrative space for staff and faculty.

“The new facility will enable the college to consolidate its departments into one building that is located at a prominent campus location,” said Simon Yendle, the university’s assistant vice president for Planning, Design, and Construction at Facilities Management. “It will feature large, bright classrooms and lecture halls like those in the Mell Classroom Building and the Academic Classroom and Laboratory Complex.”

The building was designed with energy efficiency and environmental consciousness in mind, with the aim of achieving a LEED silver certification.

“Our new building will be a hub of activity to bring students together and give them easy access to their classrooms and laboratories,” said Auburn College of Education Dean Jeffrey T. Fairbrother. “It will also provide a one-stop location for support services such as advising and those provided by our Learning Resources Center. Ultimately, our new facility will promote student collaboration in study and meeting spaces and, importantly, facilitate interaction with our faculty and staff. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to better serve our students.”

The university partnered with Architect of Record Stacy Norman Architects LLC and Design Architect SmithGroup, Inc., on the project, according to the university website.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Photo credit - Chuck Coates

    Florida District Modernizes Central Energy Plants at Two High Schools

    Flagler Schools, a public school district in Flagler County, Fla., recently partnered with Matern Professional Engineering to modernize the central energy plants at two of its high schools, according to a news release. The project is part of a larger, district-wide effort to reduce energy costs and operational expenses.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).