Texas Tech University Celebrates Opening of New Academic Building

Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new, 130,000-square-foot Academic Sciences Building (ASB), according to a news release. The facility stands three stories and broke ground about two and a half years ago. It plays home to five academic departments in the College of Arts & Sciences: Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Geosciences, Physics & Astronomy, and Psychological Sciences.

It will also house four core interdisciplinary research labs (human sampling, a clean room, biosafety level 2, and biosafety level 3), as well as academic classrooms, general laboratory and research space, faculty offices, and public gathering spaces, the news release reports. The building’s courtyard includes an IGOR telescope from White Sands Missile Range.

“The Academic Sciences Building is a testament to Texas Tech’s vision for the future while honoring the traditional beauty of our campus,” said Lawrence Schovanec, Texas Tech President. “As the first building to open in our university’s second century, it embodies our commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, cutting-edge research and exceptional student experiences.”

The project cost $112.5 million, $12.5 million of which came from an appropriation from the Texas Legislature during its 2021 session.

“This space will allow not only existing students to thrive and reach new heights but will have significant impact on our ability to attract future students and additional outstanding faculty,” said Tosha Dupras, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. “I look forward to two weeks from now, when the hallways, classrooms and labs will be filled with students and faculty.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • restroom sinks

    CSU Dominguez Hills Standardizes Plumbing to Improve Restroom Maintenance and Efficiency

    At California State University, Dominguez Hills, facilities leaders have taken steps to standardize restroom fixtures as part of a broader effort to improve maintenance efficiency and control long-term costs.

  • 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.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).