An art school in New Mexico is banking on an ambitious plan that hopes a leading regional firm’s name power will drive a cultural revival in a state holding a pivotal place in the history of American art.

Studio Ma has been tapped to lead the design for the University of New Mexico’s College of Fine Arts new master plan that will incorporate a five-step holistic process to develop an expanded academic facility in collaboration with Albuquerque-based firm Dekker/Perich/Sabatini. 

A university press announcement pointed to the studio’s prominence in the field as a reason for choosing the firm University Architect Amy Cobourn referred to as “talented and engaging.” 

Studio Ma has guided the efforts to Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix campus tower complex, a massive science center at ASU’s original Tempe location, and a graduate dormitory that opened in 2017 at Princeton.

“The University of New Mexico is a locus in the state’s vibrant arts community, and we’re honored to partner with a transformative institution that serves as a key cultural and economic driver,” Studio Ma co-founder Christiana Moss said in a statement. “Our team is excited to create a forward-thinking vision for the College of Fine Arts.”

“Colleges and universities want to be on the forefront of interaction and sustainability,” Moss said in a 2017 interview with Curbed. “That’s where we want to be, too. Some of the most progressive urban design can be found on campuses. Sustainability, open space, circulation, bikeways; it’s about bringing best practices to universities and their urban environments.”