Architectural Research Consultants, Incorporated (ARC) was consultant to Van H. Gilbert Architects to prepare a development plan for NMSU’s College of Education (CoED). The focus of the development plan is to provide new and renovated facilities for O’Donnell Hall that consolidates CoED departments and programs currently in four other buildings into three colocated schools. NMSU plans to seek potential implementation funding as part of a statewide general obligation bond in 2020 or 2022.

CoED’s strategic vision is to create a new community that is collaborative and transformative, and move away from the current departmental structure by combining its five departments and STEM programs to create three schools.

ARC’s role was to identify the functional and operational requirements for existing and projected CoED needs. The second phase of the project will be design services to complete the planned project after the successful passage of the general obligation bond.

Based on comprehensive research and interviews regarding CoED programs and space use, ARC developed three development conceptual alternatives as means to meet project goals to consolidate CoED functions and promote collaboration:

• An addition/renovation to O’Donnell Hall
• A reduced size addition to O’Donnell Hall with selected renovations
• Consolidation within O’Donnell Hall without creating any additional square footage with selected renovation