Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) has been announced as the architects of a new $65 million arts and technology facility for the University of New Mexico’s main campus in Albuquerque.

Working alongside local practice ROMA Architecture, the firm expects to break ground next summer on the new Center for Collaborative Arts and Technology (CCAT) in line with the university’s two-year-old UNM College of Fine Arts Framework Plan.

DS+R’s Partner-in-Charge for the project, Benjamin Gilmartin, said it will be a "catalyst for the advancement of the arts in New Mexico." His team's collaborative design will reportedly meet the standards for LEED Silver certification while providing students with exhibition spaces, rehearsal areas, and a large concert hall.

The project will be enacted on a vacant site bordering the city’s Central Avenue, therefore creating a new gateway onto the 769-acre campus similar to several other recent arts-focused higher education projects at UPenn, Williams, and Dartmouth College from Steven Holl, SO – IL, and Snøhetta, respectively.

The College's Dean, Harris D. Smith, explained further: "Placing the building on Central Avenue, also known as the Route 66 corridor, ensures that the arts will be accessible and integrated into the heart of the community. By embracing this opportunity, we strive to foster a deeper connection between the university and the wider public, creating a space where artistic expression flourishes, and the transformative power of the arts resonates with all."

Once completed, the facility will stand as the only new construction of the Studio Ma-led master plan, which is being undertaken in conjunction with Dekker/Perich/Sabatini (D/P/S). In addition to the Fine Arts expansion, the project also backs up the main UNM Integrated Campus Plan (ICP), which "presents a comprehensive proposition for land development, facility expansion, opportunity sites, and campus character across the main and branch campuses within the University's holdings."

No construction timelines were made available at press time. Archinect will share more project details as they become available.