New Campus Master Plan Unveiled at Drury University

Drury UniversityA new campus plan by Cooper Robertson has been unveiled for Drury University, the liberal arts school based in Springfield, MO.

According to Drury University, the new campus master plan "will guide the school’s physical evolution for decades to come, and build on the success of recent growth in enrollment, academic programming, and alumni engagement.” The new campus plan is part of Drury’s strategic moves "to address the needs of today’s students in a rapidly changing world, and to set itself apart in the competitive landscape of American higher education.”

In 2017, Drury chose the award-winning global architecture and urban design firm Cooper Robertson to develop its master plan based on the firm’s extensive experience with such schools as Ohio State, the University of North Carolina, Yale, Georgetown, and Duke University. In the Midwest, Cooper Robertson is also currently redesigning the Gateway Arch Museum and Visitor Center in St. Louis.

Led by Drury University’s second-year president, Dr. Tim Cloyd, the master plan was crafted with extensive input from the Drury and Springfield communities, starting with a week-long charrette in April and continuing throughout 2017. “Drury’s new master plan provides an essential, visionary framework to anticipate and accommodate our campus needs over the next 25 to 30 years,” says Cloyd. "It is inspired by Drury’s rich legacy, but designed to carry our mission forward deep into the 21st century.”

Says John Kirk, AIA, a partner and principal architect with Cooper Robertson, “A good master plan envisions a fabric of buildings, open space and landscape that are knitted together in a cohesive, legible, attractive—and memorable—way. Drury’s master plan is ambitious but fully achievable, and I have great confidence in the ability of the leadership and community to make it happen.”

Featured

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.

  • University of Illinois Moves Forward with College Sports’ Largest Digital Scoreboard

    The University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., recently announced a series of upgrades to Gies Memorial Stadium that will include the largest scoreboard in college sports, according to a news release.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.