Inspiring Thinkers, Leaders, and Professionals

BHDP's strategic, people-focused approach encourages understanding, collaboration, and innovation, which enables us to further an institution’s mission and strategy through its campus and buildings. Our expertise in campus planning and the design of academic facilities, teaching and research laboratories, administration, and student life spaces is founded upon our deep knowledge of the business of higher education and a passion for improving student and faculty experiences.

The building captured exactly what our brand is. It’s amazing how that was an intentional goal of this project, and it came together.

Tom Zechman, Assistant Dean of the College of Engineering, Ohio Northern University

Our Work

Our Higher Education Projects

Exterior shot of Galen College of Nursing Louisville
Featured Project Galen College of Nursing
Louisville Campus and Main Headquarters Galen College of Nursing teamed up with BHDP to assist in the site selection, programming, and design of a new Louisville campus and corporate headquarters. The 130,000-SF campus features high-level clinical-learning labs, active-learning classrooms, an advanced simulation hospital, a café, and more.
USF Achatz Hall and John and Toni Murray Research Center
Featured Project University of Saint Francis
Achatz Hall of Science and John and Toni Murray Research Center The vision for the Achatz Hall of Science and John and Toni Murray Research Center at the University of Saint Francis was to be a modern, sustainable, collaborative, and innovative science learning center that embodies the Franciscan values that lay at the foundation of the University.
Students work inside Kenan Labs
Featured Project University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kenan Laboratories Renovation BHDP was the Laboratory Planner and Architect for the phased renovation of all nine floors of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan Laboratories—home to the Departments of Chemistry and Applied Physical Sciences.
Leaves are changing colors in this shot of the Krapf Gateway Center
Featured Project Lycoming College
Krapf Gateway Center BHDP designed the Krapf Gateway Center—a facility on Lycoming College's campus that supports four distinct programs focused on the College's future success: Admissions, the Center for Outdoor Leadership in Education, the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences, and the Alumni Development Office.
Eastern Gateway Community College Gator Center exterior
Featured Project Eastern Gateway Community College
Student Success Center (Gator Center) BHDP transformed a former portion of Lycoming College's Main Academic Building into a buzzing student success center—the Gator Center. The new space provides access to several student support services, like tutoring, enrollment services, and a bookstore.
BGSU University Hall exterior at night
Featured Project Bowling Green State University
University Hall Renovation Bowling Green State University (BGSU) tasked the BHDP team with renovating University Hall to create a 21st-century learning environment that blends old with new.  
Murray Hall Makerspace
Featured Project University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Murray Hall Makerspace and Lab Up-Fit A collaboration with the newly established Department of Applied Physical Sciences, the Makerspace is a highly flexible, multipurpose space, housing a diverse range of tools.
Westminster College Hoyt Science Center
Featured Project Westminster College
Hoyt Science Hall Renovation and Addition BHDP was enlisted as the architect for the $20 million Hoyt Renovation and Expansion Project, which was begun in 2016 to address the needs of Westminster’s dedicated faculty and the growing number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students.
Day shot of Interprofessional Immersive Simulation Center
Featured Project University of Toledo
Interprofessional Immersive Simulation Center The University of Toledo had a vision: create a transformative learning program with interactive 3D technology that simulates clinical environments. BHDP turned their vision for the future of healthcare education into an interactive reality.
Front-facing view of ONU's new engineering building
Featured Project Ohio Northern University
James Lehr Kennedy Engineering Building ONU worked with us to design a state-of-the-art engineering building to increase lab space, promote engineering on campus, and encourage faculty-student collaboration.
Students work together inside the research commons
Featured Project The Ohio State University
18th Avenue Library Research Commons BHDP designed OSU's 18th Avenue Research Commons—a unique, creative, and flexible environment that leverages the latest technology to encourage collaborative, interdisciplinary research.
Students gather in a study room
Featured Project Ohio Dominican University
Battelle Hall Science Center In reaction to Ohio Dominican University's desire to grow their STEM programs, BHDP designed Battelle Hall—a highly visible and innovative science destination on campus, offering flexible teaching laboratories and a collaborative research suite.

Insights

What We're Saying About the Future of Higher Education

Two students walking through campus
White Paper 11.04.2021
Research on the Prospective College Student Campus Visit and Its Impact on Matriculation A campus visit is critical—for both universities and students. Our team measured the significance of the campus visit and its impact on enrollment in order to equip campus leaders with data to inform recruitment and investment strategy.
Image of Miami University's Esports gaming room
Published Articles 11.01.2021
Designing Spaces for Esports and Video Gamers Perhaps now more than ever before, students desire their own niche on campus. In recent years, an increasing number of students have found their community within esports—a form of competition using video games.
Sketch of a university site plan
Blog Post 10.14.2021
Re-thinking the Campus Plan for Independent Colleges and Universities COVID-19 exposed a growing problem in higher education—the misalignment between campus strategy for spaces and buildings and overall mission. The answer? A strategic planning process.
Two students play a game on a computer in front of them
Blog Post 09.21.2021
Designing Esports Suites for the Future It's clear: esports is here to stay. When higher education institutions invest in their esports gaming suites, they are investing in their students by promoting social connection and enhanced gameplay.
Trends and Tensions Roundtable Higher Education
Blog Post 09.20.2021
The Future of Ed Tech and Its Impact on Higher Education With the immense shifts that have taken place in academia in the aftermath of the pandemic, leaders must come together to identify trends in their market—as well as the near-term and long-term implications that lie ahead.
A woman wears a VR headset and sits at a computer
Blog Post 09.14.2021
The Role of Esports in Academic Programming Gaming touches a myriad of people and industries. Due to its rising popularity on higher education campuses, it is only natural for colleges to begin tying esports into their overall academic programming.
Two people sit at a desk and play a game on a computer in front of them
Blog Post 08.19.2021
Collegiate Esports Programs Are Transforming the Fabric of Higher Education This is part one in a three-part blog series discussing the impact of esports on higher education and our role as designers and architects of gaming spaces.
A computer is set up on a desk and on the screen a person is presenting
Blog Post 08.06.2021
Reflections on the 2021 National Association of Collegiate Esports National Convention Alejandro J. Medina reflects on his experience at NACE's recent esports convention. As many universities expand their esports programs, we can offer a perspective on trends affecting the design of gaming suites.
Students study inside Denison University's Doane Library & Mudd Learning Center
Published Articles 07.29.2021
University Library Research Results: What You Don’t Know Might Hurt You Following a nationwide student survey to understand the behaviors, emotions, and experiences surrounding the university library, Tom Sens and Kyle Moll discuss what the findings mean for future library design.
Lycoming campus building
Blog Post 08.27.2020
No Time to Say Goodbye: How the Covid-19 Pandemic is Affecting the College Student Experience The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated a sudden transition in higher education from in-classroom education to online learning, and students had to vacate campuses and adapt quickly to remote instruction.
students studying
Blog Post 05.28.2020
Understanding the Student Experience: Part Three Our fourth and final virtual focus group contained no shortage of new ideas. Changes are affecting everyone—from first-year students to graduating seniors.
Nursing students studying
Blog Post 05.21.2020
Understanding the Student Experience: Part Two The more we talk to students, the more we uncover. We have spoken to architecture students, nursing students, engineering students, and more who have allowed us to capture a glimpse into the minds of college students who are adapting to remote learning amidst COVID-19.

Our People

Leaders in Higher Education Design

Paul Orban

Paul Orban

Higher Education Market Leader, Partner

Peggi Anneken

Peggi Anneken

Business Development

Giancarlo Del Vita

Giancarlo Del Vita

Design Leader

Tom Sens

Tom Sens

Client Leader

Some of Our Long-Standing Partnerships

50

States in which BHDP has Registered Architects

70+

Years of Higher Education design experience

#31

2021 BD+C's University Giants Report

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