Transforming a former industrial research and development facility into a new home for engineering education

Lehigh University Mountaintop Campus

Lehigh University saw potential in Bethlehem Steel’s abandoned research and development facility. They wanted to transform it into a dynamic 21st-century learning environment that would support engineering programs. The University reached out to our team to create a design to foster hands-on discovery, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and real-world problem-solving.

We preserved the original facility’s openness and industrial character. High-bay makerspaces provide flexible environments for invention, while vibrant glass “mixing boxes” showcase exposed steel and mechanical systems. The mixing box insertions connect the original three-story crescent-shaped office and lab to high-bay research spaces, creating a seamless, collaborative environment. A linear addition along the quad provides a welcoming campus presence, while a cantilevered conference space offers views of the Lehigh Valley. Home to the Computer Science Department’s Data X Initiative, the facility fuels experimentation, teamwork, and breakthrough thinking.

Through the strategic linking of study, teaching, and fabrication areas, the building itself becomes a teaching tool for future engineers—creating an energetic, innovation-driven community at Lehigh University’s Mountaintop Campus.