Campus Renovations
Brigham Young University has begun "minimal" construction on a former Provo high school campus that the Utah institution purchased in 2016. The slightly remodeled building, part of a 25-acre site, will house some units from the College of Fine Arts and Communication temporarily.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 08/24/21
Campus Design
Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced the acquisitions of two major education design firms stationed on the east and west coasts.
New Construction
Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, broke ground last week on a new media building. Live Oak Hall will serve students and faculty from the College of Fine Arts and Communication and feature amenities like a film soundstage, a TV studio, a recording mix classroom and more.
New Construction
On the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind., construction is set to begin shortly on a new facility for esports and technology. The 7,500-square-foot Butler Esports Park was originally announced in 2019 but placed on hold due to the pandemic.
Campus Amenities
Commercial toilet partitions and washroom accessories solutions provider ASI Group recently launched the industry’s first Integrated Privacy System for metal bathroom partitions.
Facilities
The results of a global survey reveal that nearly two-thirds (65%) of college and school facilities managers are now more likely to invest in smart building solutions than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 08/20/21
New Construction
The Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts (LSMSA), a Blue-Ribbon boarding school for high-school students located in Natchitoches, La., opened its first on-campus residence hall this week.
Campus Renovations
Construction firm Adolfson & Peterson Construction broke ground this week on an expansion and renovation project for Douglas High School in Douglas, Ariz.
Podcast
This episode’s guest is Benjamin Strain, Higher Education Design Leader for DLR Group. He's here to discuss an ongoing DLR research initiative called "The Evolution of Campus," which involves interviews and outreach to higher education institutions to help them navigate the pandemic, return to campus, and explore new spatial and design requirements to meet the needs of faculty and students. He reveals some common themes among all three rounds of research (so far) and addresses the question on everyone's mind: "What’s the future of the physical campus?"
Health & Wellness
A new survey from the National Society of High School Scholars conducted among incoming and matriculating college students revealed that almost half (44.1%) anticipate dealing with mental health issues in the coming semester, either their own or those of people around them.
New Construction
The University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark., celebrated the grand opening of its new Integrated Health Sciences Building last week.
Campus Renovations
On the campus of Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Ga., nearly 500 students arrived to move into their dorm last weekend—only to be told that the building was still under renovation.
New Construction
The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford (Pitt-Bradford), located in Bradford, Pa., recently broke ground on a new, 39,000-square-foot STEM building. According to a news release, the Engineering & Information Technologies Center will be the campus’ first new academic building in 20 years.
Campus Technology
Alma Student Information System (SIS) recently unveiled updates to its SIS platform, providing new features making it easier for districts to onboard schools and use third-party apps.
New Construction
The Waukee Community School District in Waukee, Iowa, held a dedication ceremony this week for its newest facility. Northwest High School is the district’s second high school and will welcome almost 1,300 students and 180 staff members when the school year begins next week.
New Construction
The Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD) recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of Abram Agnew Elementary School and Dolores Huerta Middle School, representing the completion of the first phase of an all-in-one K–12 campus. When complete, the Agnews K–12 Campus will combine elementary-, middle- and high-school students onto a single 55-acre campus in San Jose, Calif.
New Construction
The Jackson County School System in Jefferson, Ga., recently opened its newest facility in time for the new school year. The new Jackson County High School was built to replace the 30-year-old Jackson County Comprehensive High School, which will be repurposed as the district’s Empower College & Career Center.
Healthy Schools
A news release from the Learning First Alliance suggests that one in five children missed receiving routine vaccines during the pandemic.
New Construction
SchenkelShultz Architecture announced last week that it has completed two new high schools for Orange County Public Schools.
New Construction
The University of Texas at San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas, recently opened its new $40.4-million athletics center. A news release calls the Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence (RACE) “a milestone in the university’s strategic vision to create a central hub for UTSA Athletics and to further promote the academic success, health, wellness and performance of the university’s student-athletes.”
COVID-19 and Schools
As schools and universities prepare for the return of students and faculty after nearly a year of remote learning, many are faced with growing concerns around how to keep facilities safe in the post-pandemic world. This is doubly true when considering that crucial HVAC and building management systems (BMS) are often outdated and in need of replacement.