UNM selects architects for new Humanities and Social Sciences Facility

The University of New Mexico has chosen Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects (TWBTA) and SMPC Architects as the firms that will design the new Humanities and Social Sciences facility. This partnership combines SMPC's New Mexico-based expertise with TWBTA's global reputation for creating innovative and community-centered spaces.

A Vision for Student and Community Impact
The new Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) construction will replace the current Humanities Building on Central Campus's Smith Plaza. The Humanities Building, completed in 1974, formerly housed seven departments and three institutes. A 2020 facility assessment determined that the original building had come to the end of its useful life, citing concerns about accessibility and safety, structural failures and high repair costs, including asbestos remediation. Departments and faculty that were housed in the original Humanities Building are now in temporary locations throughout campus until the new facility is complete.

The new HSS building will be a modern and collaborative hub for the 8,700+ Lobos who take humanities and social sciences courses every semester. The new facility will include classrooms for in-person, hybrid and remote learning, supporting high-quality instruction and encouraging UNM students of all majors to spend time learning and connecting. The new HSS building is intended to meet educational needs for decades to come.

"The new Humanities and Social Sciences facility will add value to the education of all UNM students and will serve as an inspirational space for students, faculty, staff and communities who visit the building," said Jennifer Malat, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. "Our College is thrilled to partner with TWBTA and SMPC. We are particularly impressed by their knowledge and interest in New Mexico and UNM's architecture, history and culture, as well as their commitment to co-creating this new space for the humanities and our University."

"The Humanities Building is an iconic structure at the heart of central campus," said Rosie Dudley, UNM's director of Campus Capital & Space Planning and University Planner. "Throughout the Integrated Campus Plan's engagement process, the UNM community consistently emphasized the importance of Smith Plaza and the Duck Pond as campus landmarks. The HSS project will enhance connections to these spaces, activating the plaza and open areas with ground-floor programs that improve pedestrian connectivity, safety and the character of these heritage zones."

Building the Future: With Optimism
The TWBTA and SMPC architect teams are ideal partners to bring the collaborative and community-centered vision of the Humanities and Social Sciences facility to life. SMPC, founded in 1944, has made significant contributions to New Mexico's architectural landscape, including Isotopes Park, the Chaco National Park Visitor Center, the UNM Duck Pond, and a 1962 expansion of Zimmerman Library. The "P" in SMPC refers to George C. Pearl, a prominent Albuquerque architect for whom the UNM School of Architecture and Planning Building is named.

SMPC's national partner, TWBTA is known for creating distinctive and uplifting spaces that serve as "containers for community." TWBTA's portfolio includes projects like the Obama Presidential Center, the U.S. Embassy Complex in Mexico City, and the James Baldwin Library.

Billie Tsien, the lead TWBTA partner for the HSS project, is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as a 2013 recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Tsien has described her approach to creating spaces as rooted in the commitment to "architecture [as] an act of profound optimism." TWBTA's talent for incorporating the unique qualities of context to create spaces for the communities their spaces serve deeply resonated with the committee that selected the HSS project architects.

UNM would also like to acknowledge the following consultants who will contribute to the HSS project:

• Acentech: Acoustics
• Altieri: Mechanical and Electrical
• Avocet Design and Consulting: Building Envelope
• Balis & Company: Cost Estimating
• Bridgers & Paxton: Plumbing, Fire Protection and Special Systems
• Fisher Marantz Stone (FMS): Architectural Lighting Design
• Geotest: Geotechnical Engineer
• High Mesa, a Bowman Company: Civil Engineering/Land Survey
• Jensen Hughes: Building Code/Life Safety
• Pland Collaborative: Landscape
• Propp + Guerin: Wayfinding
• Thornton Thomasetti: Structural Engineering
• VDA: Elevator Consultant
• Verdacity: LEED

Funding and Timeline
The new Humanities and Social Sciences facility is more than an architectural upgrade for Main Campus: it's an investment in the state's future. In November 2024, voters approved General Obligation Bond 3, which authorized $52 million in funding to replace the 67,828-square-foot Humanities Building with a new facility. UNM and the College of Arts & Sciences are fundraising an additional $10 million and requesting assistance from the Legislature for the construction of the new 80,000-square-foot new Humanities and Social Sciences building.

Demolition of the original Humanities Building should be complete by Fall 2025, with the new HSS facility projected to open as early as 2028. The adjacent Ortega Hall will also be demolished during this time, with planning undertaken to replace that space as well. Donors interested in contributing to the new HSS facility can do so through the UNM Foundation.

As the HSS project progresses, UNM is set to reaffirm its commitment to providing students with state-of-the-art facilities and instruction to advance discovery and innovation in New Mexico.