About a year ago, SmithGroup merged with Paulien & Associates, a higher education planning firm based in Denver. The two companies had worked together on various projects for a decade, and Paulien has provided planning services for over 700 campuses.
That merger led to the formation within SmithGroup of its Campus Strategy & Analytics service, whose mission is to help colleges and universities evaluate their physical spaces and available resources, and align that information with the institution’s aspirations.
Higher Ed “wants to be nimble, but its assets are fixed,” observes Paul Leef, LEED AP, AIA, Vice President-Campus Strategy & Analytics Services.
Before SmithGroup discusses space with any of its Higher Ed clients, “we have a conversation about strategy,” says Leef. That discussion can touch on everything from the local environment and occupational demand to where a school’s program might be falling short in areas like new teaching and learning strategies, demographic trends, or policy development.
The team then analyzes factors that can include how campus space is being used versus prospective needs, the functionality and location of buildings, and whether the number, size, or type of classrooms is in sync with the campus’ pedagogy.
Leef says his team gives clients an external view of what’s driving education nationally. The team can provide insight into demographic changes and how they are impacting enrollment and teaching; for example, how first-generation students learn differently and require different services.
This exercise is usually less about the quantity of space, and more about repositioning existing assets. SmithGroup recently completed a study for the state of Oregon of its seven state universities, and found that while they had enough space, “they didn’t have the right combination of assets,” Leef says. SmithGroup recommended addressing deferred maintenance and programming in existing buildings. The firm also did a deep dive into those schools’ job markets and occupational demand to develop a framework for making capital fund decisions, and setting priorities for future assets.
SmithGroup has done a similar study for Florida’s legislature of the state’s 12 universities, and will examine Florida’s 28 colleges next. The Campus & Strategy Analytics team, with eight to 10 people, has worked with between 10 and 15 campuses in other markets, including a Big 12 university’s (which Leef couldn’t name) whose School of Medicine wants to enhance its reputation as a research facility.
Because Paulien’s project list is extensive, it can bring in data from other schools and markets to inform its analysis of a particular client. But, Leef is quick to note, “every institution has a different role.”
Those institutions are not required to use SmithGroup’s design services to tap into its strategy and analytics services. “We’re seen more as a trusted advisor that helps our clients succeed,” he says.
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | Jan 12, 2023
Invest in existing buildings for your university
According to Nick Sillies of GBBN, students are increasingly asking: "How sustainable is your institution?" Reusing existing buildings may help answer that.
University Buildings | Dec 22, 2022
Loyola Marymount University completes a new home for its acclaimed School of Film and Television
California’s Loyola Marymount University (LMU) has completed two new buildings for arts and media education at its Westchester campus. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the Howard B. Fitzpatrick Pavilion is the new home of the undergraduate School of Film and Television, which is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 10 film schools. Also designed by SOM, the open-air Drollinger Family Stage is an outdoor lecture and performance space.
Adaptive Reuse | Dec 21, 2022
University of Pittsburgh reinvents century-old Model-T building as a life sciences research facility
After opening earlier this year, The Assembly recently achieved LEED Gold certification, aligning with the school’s and community’s larger sustainability efforts.
Esports Arenas | Dec 19, 2022
Ohio University’s OHIO Esports Arena redefines video gaming
If a college student enjoys film studies, there is probably a place on campus where they can join other film buffs. But where can students who like video games go?
Sponsored | Resiliency | Dec 14, 2022
Flood protection: What building owners need to know to protect their properties
This course from Walter P Moore examines numerous flood protection approaches and building owner needs before delving into the flood protection process. Determining the flood resilience of a property can provide a good understanding of risk associated costs.
Student Housing | Dec 7, 2022
9 exemplary student housing projects in 2022
Production continued apace this year and last, as colleges and universities, for-profit developers, and their AEC teams scrambled to get college residences open before the start of classes.
University Buildings | Dec 5, 2022
Florida Polytechnic University unveils its Applied Research Center, furthering its mission to provide STEM education
In Lakeland, Fla., located between Orlando and Tampa, Florida Polytechnic University unveiled its new Applied Research Center (ARC). Designed by HOK and built by Skanska, the 90,000-sf academic building houses research and teaching laboratories, student design spaces, conference rooms, and faculty offices—furthering the school’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) mission.
Education Facilities | Nov 30, 2022
10 ways to achieve therapeutic learning environments
Today’s school should be much more than a place to learn—it should be a nurturing setting that celebrates achievements and responds to the challenges of many different users.
Data Centers | Nov 28, 2022
Data centers are a hot market—don't waste the heat!
SmithGroup's Brian Rener shares a few ways to integrate data centers in mixed-use sites, utilizing waste heat to optimize the energy demands of the buildings.
University Buildings | Nov 13, 2022
University of Washington opens mass timber business school building
Founders Hall at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, the first mass timber building at Seattle campus of Univ. of Washington, was recently completed. The 84,800-sf building creates a new hub for community, entrepreneurship, and innovation, according the project’s design architect LMN Architects.
