Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

CU Denver Selects Design Firm for New STEM Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/20/22

The University of Colorado Denver recently selected architecture firm SmithGroup to design its new engineering, design and computing building. The project is one of the major elements of CU Denver’s 2030 Strategic Plan and will serve as the focal point of the university’s new downtown innovation district, according to a news release. It will provide research space for topics like artificial intelligence, robotics and cybersecurity in verticals like health, construction, urban planning, manufacturing and space.

“This is essential as technology is changing faster than ever, and industry is asking engineers to do new types of work that require increased creativity, teamwork, and collaboration across disciplines,” said Martin Dunn, Dean of the College of Engineering, Design and Computing.

SmithGroup will put on a series of town halls to involve the campus and larger community in the design process, as well as to share updates and get feedback. Construction is scheduled to begin later this year and finish before the beginning of the fall 2024 semester.

“SmithGroup is one of the nation’s leaders in the higher education space,” said CU Denver Campus Architect Jered Minter. “They demonstrated an overwhelming amount of direct experience designing higher education engineering laboratories and spaces throughout the country.”

SmithGroup will serve as the design architect, architect of record and the MEP engineer for the project. The university is also partnering with Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers for structural engineering and McCarthy Building Companies as the general contractor and construction manager.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Embry-Riddle Completes Construction on Research, Lab Facility

    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced the end of construction on a new research and lab facility on campus. The Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II) will support aerospace research and technology development and broke ground last summer.

  • 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.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.