New Exhibition Traces Building of Schweitzer Engineering Hall

The School of Design and Construction at Washington State University celebrates the collaborative design and construction of the new $80 million Schweitzer Engineering Hall.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 11:44pm

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A new exhibition at WSU's Carpenter Hall documents the journey of building the $80 million Schweitzer Engineering Hall, which will serve as the central hub and welcoming front door for the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture. The exhibition features insights from the architects, builders, and WSU alumni who worked on the project, highlighting the multidisciplinary collaboration required to bring the building to life.

Why it matters

The Schweitzer Engineering Hall project serves as a real-world example of how the different disciplines within the School of Design and Construction - engineering, construction management, architecture, and interior design - work together in the professional world of design and construction. The exhibition provides students with valuable insights into the collaborative process of building a major university facility.

The details

The approximately $80 million Schweitzer Engineering Hall project was made possible through donor and state support, including $40 million from the Washington Legislature and $20 million from Edmund and Beatriz Schweitzer and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories. The building will include multipurpose classrooms, event spaces, club and showcase areas, collaborative workspaces, project-based classrooms, advising, tutoring, and career placement services. The progressive design-build process brought together the designers, builders, and WSU as the owner throughout the design process.

  • The exhibition is on display in Carpenter Hall at WSU until March 26, 2026.
  • Schweitzer Engineering Hall is set to open this fall 2026.

The players

ZGF

An architecture and design firm that served as the architect and design project manager for the Schweitzer Engineering Hall project.

Lease Crutcher Lewis

The construction management firm that served as the builder and project manager for the Schweitzer Engineering Hall project.

Washington State University

The owner of the Schweitzer Engineering Hall project, which involved a building committee from the university participating in the design process.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

The company that provided a $20 million donation towards the $80 million Schweitzer Engineering Hall project.

Edmund and Beatriz Schweitzer

The donors who provided a $20 million contribution towards the $80 million Schweitzer Engineering Hall project.

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What they’re saying

“This is an institution of learning, and we have the opportunity to impact thousands of people over the life of the project – not just the occupants who are going to be there on day one, but year after year.”

— Sara Howell, Architect and Design Project Manager, ZGF

“Can I tell you how excited the entire team was to contribute to this project? Especially in a project like this, where it's engineering and architecture and interior design and landscape architecture –Everyone was just wanting to do their best, and it was near and dear to so many people's hearts.”

— Sara Howell, Architect and Design Project Manager, ZGF

“This project serves as a real-world example of how all four disciplines here in the School of Design and Construction work together in the professional world of design and construction.”

— Rick Cherf, Professor and Head of Construction Management Program, WSU

What’s next

Schweitzer Engineering Hall is set to open this fall 2026, welcoming students and faculty to the new state-of-the-art facility.

The takeaway

The Schweitzer Engineering Hall project demonstrates the power of multidisciplinary collaboration in design and construction, bringing together experts from engineering, architecture, interior design, and construction management to create an innovative new hub for learning and innovation at Washington State University.