A trio led by Perkins&Will has been selected to design a new STEM center for Howard University as part of the HBCU's well-publicized and long-overdue makeover. 

The firm will collaborate with the local women- and BIPOC-owned firms K. Dixon Architecture and R. McGhee & Associates (both run by Howard alums) to deliver a seven-story new research facility that will eventually be shared by the university’s College of Engineering and Architecture and College of Arts & Sciences.

The team will renovate Howard’s historic C.B. Powell Building as part of the project, which university President Wayne A. I. Frederick called a “watershed moment” in the school’s 155-year history.

Howard is in the midst of a historic five-year $785 million master plan that will revitalize its campus with three new state-of-the-art academic buildings and other renovations in line with the federal government's larger $2.7 billion commitment to HBCUs that was first announced in March.

“The STEM Center promises exciting new possibilities for students, demonstrates Howard’s commitment to community service and impact, and furthers the university’s goal to become a leading research center,” Perkins&Will Principal Tom Butcavage said in a statement. “Our vision will provide a seamless integration of programmatic, architectural, and infrastructure components while representing Howard’s legacy and future.”

“Our partnership with KDA and RMc is emblematic of our commitment to advance diversity, equity, and economic parity in the design and construction profession,” Renee Rodriguez, Associate Principal and Operations Director at Perkins&Will’s Washington, D.C. studio, added. “We are excited to collaborate with them on such an important project — and for such a visionary client.”

The firm says the program and conceptual design details are still being developed. Archinect will share further project details as they are made available.