The University of Houston's Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design is set to debut a new media and technology lab that aims to "develop the next generation of structural materials, digital fabrication, and sensor technologies." 

The school's Advanced Media Technology Lab is scheduled to open during the Spring 2020 semester and aims to "take experiential learning to the next level" by providing students with the tools they need to prototype new approaches to materials research, building envelope design, social design, and prototyping for mass production, according to a university website. According to a press release, the lab will focus on "digital fabrication, robotics, 3D printing/additive manufacturing, advanced computation and parametric design, as well as advanced visualization and simulation." The 8,500-square-foot research lab is currently under construction adjacent to the college’s Keeland Design Lab.  

The new $5 million media lab is funded partially by a $1 million donation from Gerald and Barbara Hines. Gerald Hines is the founder of real estate development firm Hines, while Barbara Hines is an international artist. The Hines company, founded in 1957, is responsible for some of the most iconic signature buildings in Houston, including the John Burgee and Philip Johnson-designed Williams Tower and Pennzoil Place high-rises, and the Houston Galleria mega-mall. The university's college of architecture was re-named in honor of Gerald Hines in 1997 following a $7 million donation from the developer. 

Architect Andrew Kudless, currently an associate professor at California College of the Arts, has been hired to lead the lab as the school's inaugural Bill Kendall Memorial Endowed Professor, The Houston Chronicle reports. Kudless is the founder of design firm Matsys, which will also be relocating to Houston. Kudless is due to start at the University of Houston in January 2020. 

Via email, Kudless shares that "the research space will be equipped to investigate a range of topics such as construction robotics, large-scale additive manufacturing, and augmented reality assisted fabrication," adding, "These research areas will be enabled by our focus on computational design, biomimetics, and the role of computation in architectural representation."

Regarding the new lab, Patricia Belton Oliver, dean at Hines College of Architecture said, “This facility will bring about a new era of media design technology and fabrication for our college,” adding, “Giving our students access to emerging digital technologies will better prepare them with the skills needed in our rapidly changing professions.”