Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

University of Portland Breaks Ground on New Academic Building

  • 11/02/17

Groundbreaking on the University of Portland’s new academic building, Dundon-Berchtold Hall, took place in September. Board of Regents member Amy Dundon-Berchtold and Jim Berchtold ’63, were joined in turning the ceremonial first shovel by University President Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.; Provost Thomas Greene; University Board of Regents Chair Thomas Arndorfer; and ASUP President Brandon Rivera.

University of Portland

The Dundon-Berchtolds made the $15 million lead gift commitment for construction of the hall on the university's Portland, OR, campus. This gift also funded the Dundon-Berchtold Institute for Moral Formation and Applied Ethics, which will be housed in the new building. Along with providing a home for the Institute, the new academic center will also add over 63,000 square feet of classrooms, offices and the recently announced Brian Doyle Lecture Hall.

In his remarks, Fr. Poorman called the groundbreaking a “hope-filled occasion.” He went on to say, “Dundon-Berchtold Hall is a critical step in the university’s commitment to providing the best possible education for our students. One that’s holistic and intellectually rigorous, and character focused, and grounded in faith.”

While thanking the many donors who have contributed to construction of the Hall, Fr. Poorman extended special gratitude to the Dundon-Berchtolds for moving the university “from a conversation phase to a happening phase.” And he noted that the university was proud to name the building in honor of them and their generous commitment.

Dundon-Berchtold Hall will provide much needed academic space for the campus. As the student population at the university has grown 30 percent over the past decade, classroom space has remained the same. Many of the classrooms in the hall will be designed for interactive learning, with spaces that are equipped with moveable furniture and updated technology. Other “cluster” classrooms will be used for small groups of students to work cooperatively and collaboratively together on projects and assignments, a core requirement of many university courses across all disciplines.

Dundon-Berchtold Hall is set for completion in January 2019.

Featured

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.

  • Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy

    The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles.

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).

  • S4L Announces 2026 Education Design Showcase Winners

    Spaces4Learning is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Education Design Showcase! Now in its 27th year, the annual awards program honors innovative solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction across K–12 and higher education.