Kaiser Borsari Hall will draw 100% of its electricity from a rooftop solar panel array. Photo courtesy Perkins&Will

Mass timber a big part of Western Washington University’s net-zero ambitions

Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Wash., 90 miles from Seattle, is in the process of expanding its ABET-accredited programs for electrical engineering, computer engineering and science, and energy science. As part of that process, the university is building Kaiser Borsari Hall, the 54,000-sf new home for those academic disciplines that will include teaching labs, research labs, classrooms, collaborative spaces, and administrative offices.

Products and Materials

Top building products for May 2024

BD+C Editors break down May's top 15 building products, from Durat and CaraGreen's Durat Plus to Zurn Siphonic Roof Drains.

University Buildings

Washington University School of Medicine opens one of the world’s largest neuroscience research buildings

In St. Louis’ Cortex Innovation District, Washington University School of Medicine recently opened its new Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building. Designed by CannonDesign and Perkins&Will, the 11-story, 609,000-sf facility is one of the largest neuroscience buildings in the world.

University Buildings

UNC Chapel Hill’s new medical education building offers seminar rooms and midsize classrooms—and notably, no lecture halls

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has unveiled a new medical education building, Roper Hall. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) and Flad Architects, the UNC School of Medicine’s new building intends to train new generations of physicians through dynamic and active modes of learning.

University Buildings

Not only are the world’s youth educated in these buildings, but much of the globe’s most ground-breaking research takes place here. Requirements for housing students are more expansive than ever, but need to be balanced with the university’s real purpose: the pursuit of knowledge. Great design can inspire that pursuit.

University Buildings | Nov 18, 2021

Pratt Institute Residence Hall completes, opens

Hanrahan Meyers Architects, in collaboration with Cannon Design, designed the project.

Data visualization showing how most pedestrian movement on campus is concentrated along a campus spine

Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects | Nov 16, 2021

‘Desire paths’ and college campus design

If a campus is not as efficient as it could be, end users will use their feet to let designers know about it.

University Buildings | Nov 15, 2021

Red River College Polytechnic’s new Manitou a bi Bit daziigae opens

Diamond Schmitt and Number TEN Architectural Group designed the project.

Pictured: Boulder Community Health’s West Medical Building, Lafayette, Colo. Photo: 2020 Caleb Tkach

Cladding and Facade Systems | Oct 26, 2021

14 projects recognized by DOE for high-performance building envelope design

The inaugural class of DOE’s Better Buildings Building Envelope Campaign includes a medical office building that uses hybrid vacuum-insulated glass and a net-zero concrete-and-timber community center.

University Buildings | HDR | Sep 28, 2021

Designing for health sciences education: Specialty instruction and human anatomy labs

It is a careful balance within any educational facility to provide both multidisciplinary, multiuse spaces and special-use spaces that serve particular functions.

University Buildings | Sep 23, 2021

University of Washington’s new mass timber building tops out

LMN Architects designed the project.

University Buildings | Sep 7, 2021

Gateway to the West: Kansas City University Center for Medical Education Innovation

Kansas City University Center for Medical Education Innovation uses GKD Omega 1520 metal fabric.

Laboratories | Aug 31, 2021

Pandemic puts science and technology facilities at center stage

Expanding demand for labs and life science space is spurring new construction and improvements in existing buildings.

2021 Giants 400 Report The Continuum technical education facility, Lake City, S.C., Kris Decker, Firewater Photography, courtesy McMillan Pazdan Smith

Giants 400 | Aug 30, 2021

2021 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.

The 2021 Giants 400 Report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.

Giants 400 | Aug 26, 2021

2021 University Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the higher education sector

Gensler, AECOM, Turner Construction, and CannonDesign head BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest university sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.