Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity earns national recognition for design excellence

Radford University’s Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity has been recognized among the nation’s most outstanding architectural achievements, earning an American Architecture Award in the Schools and Universities category from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and its partners, The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and Metropolitan Arts Press.

The honor places the Artis Center, which opened at the start of the fall 2024 semester, among the country’s most innovative new educational facilities, highlighting its distinctive design and impact on interdisciplinary learning.

At 178,000 square feet, the Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity is the largest academic building ever constructed on Radford’s campus. Its flexible spaces bring together programs in the arts, health sciences and technology, fostering collaboration and inspiration across disciplines. The building features performance venues, high-tech laboratories, classrooms and studios designed to adapt to the evolving needs of students and faculty. 

The building also houses the new home of the Radford University Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, a RiteCare Clinic supported by the Scottish Rite, providing free communication services to local children while offering graduate students hands-on clinical training.

The project was led by Hord Coplan Macht, Inc., the architectural firm behind the building’s design.

“The Artis Center represents Radford University’s commitment to hands-on learning that connects creativity with collaboration,” said Rob Hoover, vice president of finance and administration at Radford. “Its recognition on a national stage underscores the university’s growing reputation for excellence in both academics and innovation. I commend the entire design team that brought this award-winning project to life.”

Since 1994, the American Architecture Awards have celebrated the best new buildings, landscape projects and urban designs in the United States. This year’s honorees represent the forefront of creativity and functionality in contemporary architecture, with projects recognized for their design vision, sustainability and influence on the communities they serve.

“There are many higher education institutions that discuss breaking down the silos of schools and academic departments to create the convergence of ideas, thoughts and learning,” said Paul Lund, principal at Hord Coplan Macht. “While many don’t achieve this lofty goal, Radford actually achieved this with the Artis Center. Their strong vision guided our process of programming and design in this dynamic building.”

The American Architecture Awards are among the most prestigious design honors in the country. Winning projects, including the Artis Center, will be featured in the annual American Architecture Awards Yearbook and celebrated at a gala by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.

View the award listing and learn more about the Artis Center on the American Architecture Awards website.