Industry News


Arkansas Tech University Starts Construction on New Student Union

Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Ark., recently began construction on a new student union facility, according to a news release. Ferguson Student Union will measure in at 68,000 square feet and marks one of the largest construction projects in the university’s history.

Harvard University Breaks Ground on New Performance Center

Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently broke ground on a new performance center that will play home to the American Repertory Theater, according to a news release. The university is partnering with architect and design lead Haworth Tompkins, architect of record ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge, and construction manager Shawmut Design and Construction for the David E. and Stacy L. Goel Center for Creativity & Performance.

New Jersey K–12 District, PureTek Partner to Create Three New Education Spaces

Audiovisual solutions company PureTek Group recently partnered with Plainfield Public Schools in Plainfield, N.J., to create three new educational spaces for the district, according to a news release. The project involves upgrading the existing Plainfield High School auditorium into a performing arts center, a mini-theater into a blackbox theater, and two adjacent unused classrooms into an Esports Arena.

Boxlight Launches Unified Solution for Campus Communication, Instruction, and Safety

Ed-tech solutions company Boxlight recently announced the debut of FrontRow UNITY and FrontRow UNITY Campus at ISTELive 2024 in Denver, Colo., according to a news release. The product unifies solutions for institutional technology, campus communication, classroom audio, and emergency notification and response into a single device.

DIGroup Architecture Completes First NYC-Area School

DIGroup Architecture recently announced the completion of its first education project in New York City, according to a news release. P.S. 748, The Albee Square Campus, will take up six floors of a new 34-story office tower in Brooklyn, N.Y., and is part of a larger city plan to add the capacity for 45,000 new students as part of the New York City School Construction Authority’s 2020–24 Capital Plan.

Florida Retirement Community to Expand K–8, High Schools

The Villages in Central Florida, one of the largest retirement communities in the nation, recently announced the expansion of The Villages Charter School to include new facilities for its high school, K–8 school, and Early Learning Center, according to a news release. The schools serve children of residents who work at various businesses within the community.

Designing for Learning Thrill

We all experience boredom at times. Not everything can be thrilling and engaging. However, this should not be the prevalent case for student learning in several classrooms. Over the past several years, data collected on student learning experiences often paint a dismal picture. Students are disengaged and bored. What can school leaders and architects do to combat this crisis in schools?

Philadelphia Elementary School Completes $22M Renovation Project

Edwin Forrest Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pa., recently celebrated the completion of a $22-million renovation project, according to a news release. The School District of Philadelphia partnered with DIGroup Architecture (DIG) for the project’s design. Work on the almost century-old campus included significant interior renovations, repairs to the exterior building envelope, and restoration.

Campus Housing Consultants Launch Strategic Planning Service

Scion Advisory Services recently launched its new Strategic Housing Planning Service, a cost-effective and collaborative process that provides colleges and universities with a method to align its student-housing offerings with its institutional mission, according to a news release. The service takes into account the needs, hurdles, and possibilities across a full campus housing system, as opposed to the single residential facility that tends to be the focus of many feasibility or demand studies.

George Mason University Breaks Ground on New Recreation Center

George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., recently announced the groundbreaking of the new Activities Community Wellness Building for its campus. The facility will measure in at 25,000 square feet and is scheduled to open in spring 2025. It will play home to student programs, events, and the school’s pep band, according to a news release.

Florida Net-Zero High School Completes $29M Expansion Project

NeoCity Academy in Kissimmee, Fla., recently completed a 53,000-square-foot, three-story addition to its campus, according to a news release. The school partnered with construction firm Skanska on the project, which includes 26 new classrooms with collaborative learning spaces and labs.

Sloan Launches Company’s First Line of Bottle Fillers, Water Coolers

Commercial plumbing systems manufacturer Sloan recently announced the launch of Sloan DropSpot, the company’s first line of bottle fillers and water coolers, according to a news release. The fillers come in a stainless steel or black powder-coated finish for placement in commercial or educational environments and also include an easy-access filter for maintenance purposes.

University of Notre Dame Starts Work on New EV Charging Network

The University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., recently announced that it is working with intelligent power management company Eaton to install a new electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure for its campus, according to a news release. The project is part of the university’s larger goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Texas Christian University Rolls Out New Video Platform, Zoom Connector

Texas Christian University is implementing a new video management platform to support media creation, hosting, storage, and distribution solution campuswide.

Purdue On-Campus Housing Operator Recognized for Exceptional Service

Student housing services provider Corvias Property Management has received a SatisFacts "Community Award for 2023" for delivering exceptional service at Purdue University.

Optoma interactive displays

Optoma Intros Three New Interactive Displays

For educators and administrators balancing classes and meetings from multiple locations, Optoma has unveiled three new interactive displays with whiteboarding and Google-powered collaboration capabilities.

UMGC Adopts Virtual Community Platform for Students

The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), an offshoot of the University System of Maryland that focuses on hybrid and virtual courses for adult and military students, has committed to a university-wide rollout of InScribe's virtual community platform.

Kansas State University Completes New Office Park Building

Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., recently announced that construction is complete on the third phase of a new university office park, according to a news release. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new 80,000-square-foot, four-story innovation and collaboration hub makes the end of the third phase of the Edge Collaboration District’s development.

University of North Alabama to Revamp Athletics Facilities with New Stadium, Baseball Field

The University of North Alabama has broken ground on a new athletics construction project that will build the first dedicated stadium for its community of Florence, Ala.

OSU Receives $156.5M in State Funding for STEM Education, Workforce Readiness Programs

Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., recently received a state budget allocation of $156.5 million to go toward the university’s STEM, OSU Polytech, and engineering programs, according to a news release. The record amount includes $80 million, which the university plans to match through private donations, for a new 220,000-square-foot life and physical science building.

Harvard Technology Team Wins Eduventures Innovation Award

The Emerging Technology Solutions Team from the Harvard Division of Continuing Education (DCE) recently received a 2024 Eduventures Innovation Award at the annual Summit in Chicago, Ill., according to a news release. DCE designed, developed, and implemented the HELIX Portable Blended Classroom.

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