Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

University of Illinois Breaks Ground on $105M Business School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/20/23

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Ill., recently broke ground on a new facility for the Gies College of Business, according to local news. Wymer Hall, named after alumnus Steven S. Wymer—who donated $25 million towards the building’s construction—will measure in at 100,000 square feet and will cost an estimated $105 million. The building is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024, local news reports.

According to the university website, the hybrid educational facility will play home to collaboration spaces, flexible and traditional classrooms, informal learning spaces, content creation studios, and administrative space. Its expanded studio spaces and recording facilities will ease the creation of online courses and programs for the entire campus.

“The future of business education will include online, residential, and hybrid learning,” said Jeffrey R. Brown, business professor, in a news release. This new facility is designed for the future and with that vision in mind. Even what we think of as ‘traditional’ classrooms will be able to support all types of learning and that’s going to enable us to deliver a powerful education in exciting new ways.”

Amenities will include a 200-seat auditorium, two 80-seat classrooms, and four 60-seat classrooms; two sound stages five black-box studios, and six control booths; 18 meeting and collaboration spaces; and 84 office spaces, according to the university website.

The university partnered with LMN Architects and Booth Hansen for the project’s design.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.

Digital Edition