COLLEGE PARK, Md.—Architecture and design firm Cooper Robertson has revealed plans for a new campus expansion at the University of Maryland. The new facilities plan results from an 18-month community engagement process with students, staff and community stakeholders to help move the college campus into its next viable phase, which includes green spaces and more pedestrian thoroughfares.

Looking ahead at the next generation, Cooper Robertson’s planning includes identifying development capacity and upgrading those facilities that already exist on the campus. The college aims for net-zero carbon emissions by 2025, and improving multimodal transportation options given there will be five additional metro rail stations soon to debut near the campus itself.

“This plan builds on the University of Maryland’s role as an ambitious, forward-looking, and value-driven academic institution,” Cooper Robertson partner Mike Aziz said of the master plan for UMD. Aziz, himself a UMD alum, said that his alma mater is “setting a highly sustainable and lasting directive for the ultimate success of today’s and tomorrow’s students.”

Via the collaborations between the university and the various stakeholders, the school has come up with a wish list of projects to be tackled. This includes improving space and building performance for existing buildings as well as constructing new research facilities. The master plan also calls for a campus-wide “Innovation Walk” with open spaces and various renovated buildings, as well as biking and walking paths that connect areas both on and off the main campus. Furthermore, campus streets will be redesigned so that motor vehicles as well as scooters and bicycles connect key points on the campus while prioritizing pedestrian accessibility.

“Our Campus Facilities Plan is more than just a blueprint for development; it’s a commitment to our university’s holistic growth,” UMD President Darryll J. Pines said in an earlier statement. “This vision, fueled by input from our diverse community, signifies our dedication to creating environments where every student can thrive, learn and lead.”

In a subsequent statement emailed to School Construction News, Aziz of Cooper Robertson said that decarbonization is one of the key tenets of his firm’s plans for UMD as the school aims to move away from fossil fuels.

“Our strategy for achieving this centers on a phased shift from a centralized steam plant towards district-scale electrification,” Aziz said. “The idea is to combine satellite utility buildings with a large-scale geothermal system, alongside deep energy retrofits on existing buildings and a focus on very high levels of energy efficiency for new buildings. There are a lot of moving pieces in this strategy, but we think the environmental — and operational — benefits are well worth the effort.”

No general contractor has yet been announced for this master plan.

Cooper Robertson’s recent educational work includes expansions at George Washington and Georgia State, as well as other renovations at Caltech, Yale, Georgetown, Duke Medical School, Ohio State and the University of Delaware.

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RIVERSIDE, Calif.—Architect Solomon Cordwell Buenz and general contractor McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. are pressing forward on the $285 million North District Phase 2 Student Housing Development at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). The 424,000-square-foot project is meant to address a dearth of affordable housing at both UCR and the nearby Riverside Community College District (RCCD), which collectively have seen a tremendous increases in recent enrollment.

“We can’t solve all the problems that are challenges for students, but we can solve those two by bringing students to the campus, letting them live here, wear their UCR or RCC T-shirt, and just be part of the campus,” Kim Wilcox, chancellor of UCR, said of the project work. “It breaks down a barrier and, aside from the housing, it provides [students] with a different sense of themselves.”

The development will offer 429 single- and double-occupancy apartments ranging from one to four bedrooms. Each living unit will offer a kitchen and living room space, high-speed Wi-Fi and air conditioning. Communal spaces will include dedicated study areas as well as a café/market, recreational fields and a public park.

The project, funded partially by the State Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, increases the number of available student beds at UCR and RCC to 1,568.

“The McCarthy team is proud to be part of this revolutionary project, which helps bridge the gap between larger universities and community colleges,” said Sarah Carr, vice president of McCarthy. “This housing development will provide affordable options that will enhance graduation rates not only for UCR students, but for Riverside City College students as well—a benefit to the entire community.”

Wolde-Ab Isaac, RCCD chancellor, added that this joint housing project “is meticulously and intentionally designed to break persistent cultural and psychological barriers that many of our first-generation and low-income students experience through a process of total immersion into the UC system.

“My hope is this unique partnership and innovative approach will serve as a model for others to emulate around the state.”

The first students are anticipated to commence moving into the North District Phase 2 Student Housing Development sometime in 2025.

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., the oldest privately held national construction company in the United States. Based in St. Louis, the general contracting firm operates from California locations including Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Jose, San Diego, Newport Beach and San Francisco. The firm, which is 100-percent employee-owned, is ranked the country’s 19th largest domestic building by ENR, and employs over 6,000 people.

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BRONX, N.Y.—The Urban Dove Team II Charter School has opened its new transfer high school at 671 Prospect Avenue in the Woodstock section of the Bronx. Montroy DeMarco Architecture designed the school building’s renovation and expansion. Urban Dove is an innovative charter school focused on meeting the needs of students who are overage- and under-credited and off-track to graduate high school on schedule.

Urban Dove, established by Founder and Executive Director Jai Nanda, also operates a high school in Brooklyn, located at 1256 East 21st Street. The new school, named Urban Dove Team II Bronx, houses 300 students and 70 staff, who have relocated from a former location at 860 Forest Avenue in the Bronx.

The Bronx property owner Nivneh Capital Group/The Iconic Group and architect Montroy DeMarco Architecture (MDA) created the new campus for the charter school by combining, redeveloping, and expanding three adjacent commercial buildings within the Prospect Avenue site. Urban Dove rented the redeveloped property through a long-term lease and named it the Evan Leif Educational Campus in honor of one of the donors supporting the organization.

Nanda, a former teacher and basketball coach, recognized the positive impact team sports have on youth both inside and outside the classroom. He developed the Urban Dove program to utilize sports to teach at-risk teens the critical life skills needed to succeed. Two campuses are located in Brooklyn and in the Bronx.

“We have created a safe, supportive educational model that is successfully helping students get back on track to graduation,” said Nanda. “Our incredible students deserve an incredible facility, and we are so excited about this brand new, first class building where our students can continue to grow and learn. Montroy DeMarco Architecture designed a beautiful new school that will serve our Bronx students and faculty for years to come,” he added.

“The redevelopment included the gut rehabilitation of the adjoining three-story buildings and the addition of a fourth floor, to accommodate the needs of the growing school. We are very proud to include the Urban Dove Team Charter School among our tenants and to contribute to the improvement of the Woodstock neighborhood,” shared Hillel Fischman, Principal of The Iconic Group.

“This 39,000-square foot project combined three structures into one cohesive building that both meets the programmatic needs of Urban Dove and positively impacts the neighborhood by renovating previously underutilized buildings,” said Daniel Montroy, AIA, MDA Principal. “The three adjoining structures originally totaled 34,000 square feet, while the new fourth floor expansion added 5,000 square feet. A 1,900-square foot area on the street level is set aside for retail use,” he added.

Each Urban Dove student enrolls in a three-year personalized instructional program that leads to a high school diploma, develops job skills, and provides a foundation for higher education. Students spend 2.5 hours per day participating in sports, nutrition, and fitness activities that develop teamwork, healthy competition, and self-confidence. Coaches use sports to help students focus, manage emotions, and becomes positive members of a community.

The renovation and expansion project team also included structural engineer KPFF Consulting Engineers Inc., MEP engineer A&D Engineering LLP, and general contractor NY Major Construction & Development.

The school site consists of three adjacent buildings on Prospect Avenue, facing east between 152nd and 155th Streets that have been combined into one lot. The site is within a short walking distance of the Prospect Avenue and Jackson Avenue subway stations on the Number 2 and 5 lines and the Longwood Avenue station on the Number 6 line.

Constructed around 1915, the buildings have masonry facades, which have been revised and architecturally unified during the renovation. The center building is steel framed, while the flanking building have timber structures. Prior to the redevelopment, the front façade of the southern building had been substantially concealed with both stucco and cultured stone, and original terra cotta ornamentation has been covered with paint. However, the front façades of the other two buildings were in relatively good condition, although the street levels had been modified in the past with the addition of retail storefronts and some brick has been painted.

Windows on the second and third floors are framed with monumental brick pilasters and triple rowlock arch surrounds with ornamental terra cotta and brick keystones, which have been retained during the renovation. The project team also preserved original decorative insets of dogtooth courses framed with rowlock brick borders that provide visual interest between the third-floor windows. A projected brick frieze runs below the roofline. The façade is capped with a terra cotta band and open brickwork cornice.

Prior to the conversion into the school, the buildings had been occupied by a variety of commercial and manufacturing uses, including most recently a billiards café and laundromat on the street level, and a church and dance hall on the upper floors.

It was essential for the new plan to include a high school regulation size basketball court, dance studio, and weight room to address the athletics component of the curriculum as well as comfortable classrooms for academics. MDA has completely redesigned the buildings to meet these requirements.

Utilizing the features of the existing façade, the school’s street level main entrance is now located at the center of the combined and unified structure, within an existing terra cotta surround. A new stairway and elevator provide vertical access to the other floors. Offices and five classrooms are located on the street level, and the layout has been configured to accommodate the retail component occupying the northeast corner. A large dance and yoga studio, a weight room, and a cafeteria occupy a majority of the cellar, which also houses a staff lounge, nurse’s office, and support spaces.

Creating the basketball court required major renovation and structural redevelopment work. The court was built on the second floor in the northern portion of the building. In order to obtain enough floor space for the court, the demising wall between the central and north buildings was removed and a new partition wall was built to divide the court from the remainder of both floors. The third floor above the court has also been removed to provide the required 25-foot vertical clearance. KPFF designed wide span steel trusses above the court to carry the load of the new fourth floor and roof above.

The remainders of the second and third floors house a total of five classrooms and several offices. Vision panels in the third-floor corridor provide a view into the court below. A new fourth floor addition features five additional classrooms, offices, and bullpens. The addition was constructed with light gauge framing and clad with EIFS (external insulation finishing system).

The basketball court features a hardwood floor installed over sleepers and shock absorbers to provide player comfort and sports performance properties. Lights are high efficiency LED fixtures.

In addition to serving students and faculty, the building has also become an asset to the community, as Urban Dove has made the basketball court available for community use outside of school hours. In addition, the renovated front façade will create a focal point that will enliven this portion of Prospect Avenue.

Nivneh Capital Group, in collaboration with The Iconic Group, partnered on a mission to acquire, develop or redevelop, and operate a highly select and diverse portfolio of commercial, residential, and industrial rental properties in and around New York City. By focusing on well-situated land and underperforming structures of all use-groups, the two firms concentrate on providing these assets the operational expertise, attention, funding, and improvements they require to appreciate in value.

Based in New York City, Montroy DeMarco Architecture (MDA) is a prominent architecture and planning firm predominantly serving office, commercial, institutional, retail, multi-family, senior housing, and hospitality markets in the greater New York area. MDA’s affiliate Montroy Andersen DeMarco (MADGI) provides interior design services to commercial, institutional, and multi-family clients.

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HOLLISTER, Calif.—General contractor Blach Construction is hard at work on a new hub for student activity at San Benito High School District’s (SBHSD) Hollister High School, the tenth-largest high school in Northern California. When completed, the Student Union Building will serve as a public meeting space for nearly 4,000 students at the school, as well as offer amenities such as expanded food service capacity for the rapidly increasing student population, which is only 65 percent served via the school’s current facilities.

As designed by Aedis Architects, the 8,500-square-foot student union will be made of steel to ensure its durability. The steel design will also speed up the project buildout timeline and reduce construction costs.

The student union will be located at the heart of the school’s campus, thereby ensuring its prominent placement. Its completion will also help ensure that more than 90 percent of the student body will be provided with meals.

The recent groundbreaking for the new building was attended by personnel from SBHSD, as well as Speaker of the California State Assembly Robert Rivas, himself an alumnus of the district.

“We have enjoyed a trusted and collaborative partnership with San Benito High School District, delivering many innovative projects alongside Aedis for the betterment of Hollister High School and its surrounding community,” Blach Project Executive Brad Fannin said at the groundbreaking. “Building the new Student Union Building is particularly gratifying as it will enable all students to thrive at school, offering greater access to improved food service offerings and central gathering spaces.”

In a subsequent statement to School Construction News, Fannin said that the net-zero-ready campus is complemented with an adjacent main thoroughfare as well as placing utilities underground so as to be more welcoming and more congruent with the newer student union facility.

“This complex scenario requires high-level coordination with the local utilities, ultimately allowing the college to avoid the use of natural gas in its operation and saving the district critical funds,” Fannin said. “Gavilan’s new campus in Hollister will be well-situated to offset its energy usage with a solar array or other renewable energy system.”

The project is partially funded by the state and is expected to be ready for this fall. Blach and Aedis previously delivered a Science and Robotics Lab for the HHS campus, as well as several athletic facilities and a visual arts performance building too.

“Our new Student Union is a marquee project for the community that will further enhance our Hollister High School campus and, more importantly, positively impact the needs of our expanding student body,” SBHSD Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum said of the work. “Once complete, it will offer students new and centralized areas to meet, collaborate and study while enabling us to increase our crucial food service offerings.”

Blach Construction was founded in 1970, and its work in educational construction is well known throughout the Golden State.

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HOLLISTER, Calif.—The design-build team of Gensler, Quattrocchi Kwok Architects, and Blach Construction is pressing forward with a new campus for the Bay Area Gavilan Community College. The new campus will replace the junior college’s original layout, which was realized in 1919. The design-build plan calls for the new Gavilan campus to be net-zero when completed this fall, with a future solar array in the planning as well.

“Our new Gavilan College San Benito County campus will greatly improve access to higher education in Hollister, San Juan Bautista, Tres Pinos and other rural county areas,” said Gavilan Superintendent Pedro Avila. “Approximately 2,000 of our currently enrolled students live in Hollister and other San Benito County areas. This decades-long-awaited campus fulfills our vision of expanding academic opportunities to these communities to support upward mobility.”

The first phase of the work entails a 34,000-square-foot “campus core” building that will be home to a welcome center, various classrooms, testing center, community room, dining area, offices and various learning laboratories. Phase 1 also entails work on parking lots, landscaping, entry plaza as well as outdoor learning spaces.

The progressive design-build model allows for seamless teamwork and budgetary control throughout the construction process. Following the school’s issuing of the original request for proposal, Blach Construction leaned on its previous relationships with both Gensler and QKA to imagine a joint strategy.

“Not every day do we have an opportunity to enhance a deserving community with an entirely new, much-desired community college campus, let alone partner with two renowned education designers and an inclusive client to do it,” Brad Fannin, project director at Blach Construction, said of the general contractor’s work at Gavilan. “We are thrilled to be leveraging our extensive design-build expertise, integrating seamlessly with our partners to ensure the Gavilan San Benito County Campus project remains on schedule, within budget and, when complete, exceeds the higher education needs of students in and around the greater Hollister area.”

Added QKA President Aaron Jobson: “Designing a new college campus is a rare and exhilarating privilege. Since the onset of the progressive design-build contract, the team was able to respond to multiple project challenges, including changes in educational approach post-COVID, approval delays, and a volatile cost environment. Our seamless collaboration has resulted in optimal design, innovative approaches to the construction process, and cost and time efficiencies for the College.”

“We were delighted to join as the lead designer for Gavilan’s new San Benito Campus—an important new facility designed with the community, for the community,” said Gensler principal-in-charge and education practice leader Sandy Mendler. “When complete, this initial phase of the campus will provide a full range of enhanced facilities and supportive services for students pursuing careers in science and other high demand fields, while also serving as a dynamic hub for community gathering.”

Funding for the project came from Measure X, passed by Santa Clara and San Benito County voters in 2018.

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As the saying goes, children are our future. It is essential that we recognize the impact of early experiences on their growth, intelligence, and emotional well-being. Their minds are like sponges, absorbing and remembering even the smallest details of their environments. The experiences they have during their formative years shape the individuals they become as they grow older. As a society, we are realizing the importance of paying attention to these experiences. Parenting groups, caregivers, and educators are becoming more aware of the impact they have on children’s development.

Interior design can play a crucial role in creating environments that support child growth, development, and overall well-being. By embracing children’s differences and being thoughtful about the ways they interact with and learn from their surroundings, designers can curate nurturing spaces that cater to their specific needs and interests.

Flexibility and Adaptability

Child-centric design provides spaces that are flexible and adaptable. By incorporating movable furniture, such as rolling chairs or adjustable desks, educators are encouraged to modify their teaching spaces to accommodate different learning activities. Providing wiggle chairs and other alternative seating options allows children to move and be active with their environments. Offering easels and whiteboards allows children to freely express their creativity.

Recognizing that children have different learning styles and interests, it is important to create diverse learning environments. Spaces should be designed with different zones, pods, or tables that cater to various activities, including hands-on activities, technology-based learning, and quiet/focus opportunities. This variety allows children to engage with subjects and topics they are passionate about in a way that works best for them.

Cultivating Community

In order to create classrooms and learning environments that foster interaction, socialization, and a sense of community among children, child-centric design should promote collaboration and teamwork. Collaborative workstations or project spaces enable children to work together on assignments or engage in group activities. By contrast, they should also have the option of comfortable seating nooks or more private spaces, allowing them to have moments of respite or solitude when needed.

Comfort and Color

For children who occasionally or frequently experience stress and anxiety, integrating comfort into design is paramount. Striking a balance between energizing and comforting elements is essential. By incorporating visually energetic colors, such as sunny yellows and oranges, interior designers can create an uplifting atmosphere. Mixing these bold colors with large graphics injects vibrancy into the space, captures attention, and fosters active participation. However, it is important to balance these design elements with calming colors like blues and greens to promote a sense of tranquility. Texture also plays a significant role in creating comfort, and should be considered when conceptualizing the foundation of an interior space. Additionally, kid-sized spaces and furniture that are scaled down to their smaller frames help children feel comfortable by providing a sense of ownership and safety.

Creativity and Individuality

Child-centric design should celebrate creativity and individuality. By allowing children to personalize their spaces, such as displaying their artwork or crafts, designers can create a sense of ownership and pride. Providing dedicated areas for different activities, such as reading corners, art stations, or imaginative play zones, allows children to explore their interests and discover their passions. Incorporating storage solutions that are easily accessible also encourages children to keep their space organized, promoting a sense of responsibility and independence.

Outdoor Exploration

Child-centric design encourages recreation and physical activity. Classrooms and outdoor spaces, like playgrounds, should be designed to promote play, providing ample space for movement and exploration. Even in indoor environments, it is essential to ensure access to natural light and incorporate interactive elements that allow children to use their entire bodies and actively engage with their surroundings.

When designing spaces that keep children vibrant, active, and connected to their surroundings, designers should bring the outdoors in by maximizing access to daylight and implementing a natural color palette with a variety of textures, including wood grains, woven fabrics, and other visually textured elements instantly adds warmth and visual interest.

The Big Picture

Child-centric interior design acknowledges the importance of childhood experiences in shaping the growth, development, and emotional well-being of children. By embracing their differences, providing flexible and adaptable spaces, promoting interaction with their surroundings, and integrating comfort, designers can create environments where children can thrive, learn, and connect with the world around them. Child-centric design in schools is essential for nurturing children’s curiosity, imagination, and sense of belonging. By prioritizing their needs, interests, and well-being, we can create spaces that inspire and support them on their journey to becoming confident, well-rounded individuals who contribute positively to society.

As a Partner and Interior Designer at Bockus Payne, Taylor Starr’s responsibilities include working on projects at every phase of design, from programming to construction administration.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.—While the world-renowned Johns Hopkins is based in Baltimore, the respected institution of higher learning has opened a new facility just 35 miles south in the nation’s capital. Key players on the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center—located at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, just off the National Mall—included architect of record SmithGroup, construction manager Clark Construction, project management and owners’ representation firm MGAC, exterior architect Ennead Architects and interior architect Rockwell Group.

All of the D.C.-based graduate studies for the university will take place in the Bloomberg Center. The 435,000-square-foot Bloomberg Center houses the School of Advanced International Studies, Carey Business School, as well as the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.

The Bloomberg Center exists inside the site of the former Newseum, which closed at the end of 2019. The space has now been transformed to host 38 classrooms, a 375-seat theater, study spaces, lounges, and terraces overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue and the nearby Capitol. The Bloomberg Center also hosts a coffee shop, fitness center and library.

The unique design for the building entails two cantilevered floating classrooms that hang from trusses. The classroom space allows for extensive views of the facility’s main atrium space. Other amenities include an open meeting space, dubbed “The Beach,” for students and staff to congregate and chat in between classes. The Beach is named in honor of a greenspace at Johns Hopkins University’s Homewood campus, located near central Baltimore.

The designers incorporated Tennessee Pink marble in the facade, which matches other famous buildings nearby such as the National Portrait Gallery, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, as well as the Smithsonian along the Mall. The architects aimed to achieve LEED Silver Certification.

“The Hopkins Bloomberg Center is a new landmark facility for Johns Hopkins University,” said MGAC Project Manager Vincent McLaughlin. “We are pleased to deliver a building that will contribute to the cultural and academic landscape of Washington, D.C.”

“Converting the Hopkins Bloomberg Center from a museum into a modern education facility to support Johns Hopkins University’s programs has been an exciting challenge,” said Amy Mercurio, associate vice president of capital projects for Johns Hopkins University. “We have greatly benefited from having the original building’s architects and engineers on our team.”

MGAC was hired in 2019 to provide project management support and cost management services.

“The dedication and technical experience of the team members involved in the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center project made it possible to navigate any obstacles,” Sarah Eynon, MGAC’s senior director, said in a statement emailed to School Construction News. “Their technical expertise and commitment resulted in a remarkable overhaul of the building, creating a collaborative workspace that truly reflects the progressive ethos of a forward-thinking University.”

MGAC’s services include cost and project management, technological solutions, FF&E procurement and relocation management.

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PALMETTO, Fla.—International construction and development first Skanska has completed its expansion work at Buffalo Creek Middle School, which was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by staff, students and members of the Manatee County School Board.

The construction and renovation work entailed a new two-story media and instruction building comprising TV production studios, eight classrooms and a media center. Skanska was also charged with converting the former media center into new classroom spaces for instruction in such fields as robotics, business and engineering.

Skanska worked in collaboration with Zyscovich Architects on the $12 million workload needed at Buffalo Creek Middle School. Some of the funding came from a half-cent sales tax approved by Manatee County voters in 2016 to address multiple improvements, including to the district’s educational infrastructure.

“The impact of this new building will benefit students at Buffalo Creek Middle School for the next generation and beyond,” Principal Bradley Scarbrough said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We are in an area experiencing exceptional growth, and these expanded facilities will help us meet the needs of today’s students, as well as tomorrow’s.”

“The modern design and construction of the new media center is the result of a true partnership between our team, the school district of Manatee County and the architect,” Daniel Abou-Jaoude, vice president of Skanska USA Building, said at the ceremony. “This expansion of the campus will provide students and staff with an innovative space that fosters hands-on learning and encourages creativity and exploration for years to come.”

In a subsequent statement to School Construction News, Keith Hendry, senior project manager at Skanska USA, said that the true measure of the benefit of an educational project such as Buffalo Creek is how it ultimately works for the end user.

“Our team, together with the project architect, worked closely with the faculty and staff at Buffalo Creek Middle School and the School District of Manatee County to truly understand the needs of the students and teachers, taking the time to do a ‘page flip’ with all stakeholders to ensure the end product was something that everyone could use,” Hendry said. “To best understand how to implement the new technology across the campus additions, Skanska finalized the construction of one classroom and invited all stakeholders to test out the room.

“This way, our team identified potential kinks and adapted the layout as necessary before implementing it across all classrooms. This allowed us to ensure the project remained within the outlined budget and timeline and deliver a product with high usability.”

“We are excited and happy for the students, staff and families at Buffalo Creek Middle,” said Superintendent Jason Wysong. “First-class facilities and tremendous teachers are a powerful combination, and we’re glad to bring the two together to benefit Buffalo Creek.”

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WILLIAMSBURG, Va.—HGA and architect-of-record Moseley Architects have jointly designed expansions to the College of William & Mary Fine and Performing Arts Quarter, which collectively fashions a new “front door” to the school’s arts complex that welcomes in students, staff and visitors. Whiting-Turner Contracting Company is acting as general contractor for the work, with other consultants on the project including theatrical experts Apeiro Design as well as acoustic and AV consultant Jaffe Holden.

Given that the university, America’s oldest, features a unique design aesthetic, the administrators of the school sought to have the newer arts buildings blend in with historical structures constructed of Flemish bond brick. Accordingly, HGA reimagined the 101,550-square-foot Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall as a modern home for dance and theater instruction, as well as for artistic displays and performances. The firm also designed an entirely new music building for the campus that is express-built with the best possible acoustics. The music building also features a percussion studio, rehearsal spaces as well as teaching studios.

Newer building materials complementing the Flemish bricks include wood and metal panels at Phi Beta Kappa Hall’s exterior as well as in the new music building. The design aesthetic also features glass that is meant to be “bird-safe” as well as minimize the amount of heat that will enter the interior during the summer months.

The designers, with an eye toward sustainability, aimed for LEED Silver Certification.

Rebecca Krull Kraling, planning principal at HGA, said it was her firm’s mission to meld a modern aesthetic with the historically familiar look and feel of the Arts Quarter at William & Mary.

“We took stock of the existing materials and motifs of the campus architecture and melded them with the arts complex’s contemporary aesthetic,” said Krull Kraling. “These buildings, striking in beauty and integrated in context, express to students, faculty, and the community the university’s dedication to nurturing, understanding, and promoting the arts in all forms.”

In a subsequent statement, Krull Kraling said that HGA wanted to assure school officials that they would create something new while respecting what has been on the campus for centuries prior.

“Each space and its function were considered individually, such as the need to block natural light in performance spaces and the need for privacy in rehearsal spaces,” she remarked. “The result was a variety of design methods to accommodate the needs of each department.”

With the first two phases now complete, movement on the next steps in the project can commence, though a final date of completion has yet to be announced.

HGA employs over 1,000 planners and architects at 12 offices nationwide. The company works in such design specialties as healthcare, tech, government and education.

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Project partners HOK, Turner Construction and JRA Architects were on hand for a recent groundbreaking ceremony for the University of Kentucky’s new Health Education Building. The 500,000-square-foot structure, to be located at the intersection of Huguelet and University drives, will be home to the university’s programs in nursing, health science, public health, as well as the Center for Interprofessional and Community Health Education.

The Health Education Building will entail two wings, one with eight floors and the other with 10. In addition to classrooms and learning spaces, the building will feature modern simulation facilities so that students can experience real-world healthcare scenarios. The building will entail brick and glass for the north wing as well as a glass front for the south wing to allow in sunlight. Other architectural design elements include a “basketweave” façade and a glass lantern design at the building’s northeast corner.

When completed in 2026, the Health Education Building will be able to increase the number of students educated in the College of Medicine to 200 per year, one of the largest medical programs in the United States. The College of Nursing will also double its enrollment, offering both a bachelors of science in nursing (BSN) and an advanced BSN program as the Bluegrass State continues to deal with a shortage of healthcare workers. Meanwhile, the College of Health Sciences will offer programs in language pathology, physical therapy, athletic training and medical laboratory science for over 400 students, and the College of Public Health will be able to increase its student complement by 30 percent in both its graduate and undergrad programs.

The layout of the facility is meant to encourage collaboration between various classrooms and learning spaces.

The $380 million construction project’s funding was authorized by the Kentucky General Assembly and approved by the UK Board of Trustees last summer.

“As a testament to our collaborative spirit, this one facility will contain programs from four colleges and the Center for Interprofessional and Community Health Education. We will educate students for a new healthcare future, collaborate through transdisciplinary work, and attract and retain the best and brightest to advance Kentucky,” said UK President Eli Capilouto at the groundbreaking. “Our goal—our promise—is that when our students complete these programs and join the workforce, they are well-equipped to face today’s complex challenges and help all Kentuckians live longer and healthier lives.”

“This is a wonderful building for the university and the state, and the credit for that goes to university leadership, the deans and their staff,” Eli Hoisington, HOK co-CEO and design principal for the firm’s St. Louis studio, said at the event. “This has been one of the most collaborative and engaging processes our team has worked on. Looking at our practice across the country, the scale and breadth of what is happening here is unprecedented.”

Of their firm being selected as general contractor, Turner executive David Opalka said the Health Education Building will be a “world-class project” when it is completed.

“We look forward to helping the University expand its program and achieve their vision to increase the number of students prepared to meet the growing need for healthcare services in the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Opalka stated on the firm’s website.

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