Hybrid learning is here to stay, and it's reshaping how campus spaces function.
Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) in Fort Myers, Fla., recently announced that it is partnering with construction firm Skanska to renovate the school’s Humanities Hall, according to a news release.
Florida Atlantic University recently began construction on a new academic building for its campus in Boca Raton, Fla., according to university news. The Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building will stand two stories, measure in at 22,000 square feet, and play home to the university’s Holocaust education and Jewish studies programs.
Sunnyvale Middle School in Sunnyvale, Calif., recently announced that construction is complete on two new classroom buildings of two stories each, according to a district news release. The new wing will house seventh- and eighth-grade students and is part of a larger campus modernization project.
Cate School, a boarding school in Carpinteria, Calif., for students grades 9–12, recently announced that it has finished renovating a historic dining hall into a new academic hub, according to a news release. The school partnered with Blackbird Architects and Tangram Interiors on the two-story, 16,000-square-foot Inquiry Collaborative.
The recent renovation of the Durham Science Center at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) provides a roadmap for facilities managers tasked with balancing budget constraints, modern pedagogical demands, and long-term sustainability.
Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, recently broke ground on the new ESI Construction Management Building, according to university news. The university is partnering with Engineered Structures, Inc., for the building’s construction.
The Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) in Marlborough, Mass., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new academic building, according to a news release. The 17,000-square-foot space will serve as a classroom and science lab building for the student population of almost a thousand in grades 6–12.
The University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, Texas, recently held a “topping out” ceremony for its new learning complex, Texas Western Hall, according to university news. The construction milestone marks the placement of the last beam of a structure in progress.
Recently, several school visits early in the academic year highlighted how many first-year teachers struggle to set up their classrooms effectively. It's evident that more can be done to better support them from the start, particularly in the area of classroom design.
The United States' five State Maritime Academies are responsible for educating the next generation of officers in the merchant marine. To better equip those five institutions to provide that critical educational foundation, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has been gradually working to decommission and replace their current fleet of training ships––which were originally designed for the use of steam power and have begun to age beyond their viability.
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.
In recent years, the pursuit of the perfectly decorated classroom has taken a serious toll on teachers' well-being. The competition to create visually stunning and intricately decorated classrooms has become overwhelming. It is leaving many educators feeling stressed and over-burdened by the unrealistic expectations that come from the viral images of classroom “perfection” on social media.
Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Arizona State University has been recognized with an EDS 2024 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.
The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently launched a renovation project to restore the historic Scovell Hall, originally built in 1903. The comprehensive rebuild has an estimated completion date of 2026 and will preserve the structure’s north and west entrances. The new facility will cover about 92,000 square feet and play home to administrative services for the university’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE), according to a news release.
Spaces4Learning recently convened a panel of ed tech experts to discuss how technology and design can help create a better learning experience for all students — and how institutions can plan, design, and assess their own vision for the classroom of the future.
The Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School in Marlborough, Mass., recently broke ground on a new 17,000-square-foot academic building, according to a news release. The facility will offer additional classroom and science lab space for the campus, which serves students in grades 6–12.
The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently broke ground on its new Health Education Building, according to a news release. The 500,000-square-foot facility will be the largest academic building in university history and house programs from the colleges of medicine, health sciences and nursing, and public health, as well as the Center for Interprofessional and Community Health Education. The building is projected to open in 2026.
The University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, recently announced plans to demolish and replace campus landmark Crosley Tower, according to local news. The 16-story concrete structure is set for to come down beginning in January 2026 to make room for a new academic and research facility.
Los Angeles Valley College in Los Angeles, Calif., recently broke ground on a new Academic Complex Building in conjunction with Los Angeles Community College, according to local news.
Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., recently announced that construction has begun on a new facility for the College of Education, a university news release reports.
Constructed in 1922 to house the School of Law, January Hall is a three-story granite and limestone building that helped shape the identity of the Danforth Campus at Washington University in St. Louis. While iconic, it was inefficient and did not meet the university’s accessibility or sustainability standards.
Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., recently celebrated a groundbreaking ceremony for a new academic building named after a former university president.
New York University in New York City is getting ready to open its newest academic building, the John A. Paulson Center.
Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn., recently received final approval from the Hamden Planning and Zoning Commission to build a new, $293-million South Quad, according to a university news release.
The Enterprise Center at Drury University, its first new building—and first major academic building—to be built in over 20 years, is a tripartite composition that contributes magnificently to its setting, to the fabric of the university, and to the fabric of the city of Springfield, Mo.
Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., recently opened the doors to its newest academic building, Dr. E. J. and Margaret O’Brien Hall. University news reports that the building will serve as the new home for Marquette Business and its associated leadership innovation programs, and faculty and staff have already started moving in.
The University of Tampa in Tampa, Fla., recently announced that construction has begun on a new, 10-story Multipurpose Building, according to a news release.
Project of Distinction 2022 Education Design Showcase
Duquesne City School District in Pennsylvania has formally opened an eSports arena on its K–8 campus in the Pittsburgh area. The space, designed for use by middle schoolers, will also double as a computer science/makerspace lab.