What You Need to Know听

• The project team marked a topping-out milestone for the Saban Center now rising in Tuscaloosa鈥檚 River District.听

• Plans call for a 118,000-square-foot complex on a 7.71-acre site along the Black Warrior River, with a 70-foot glass tower as a centerpiece.听

• Campus partners named include the State of Alabama STEM Hub, the Tuscaloosa Children鈥檚 Theatre and IGNITE (formerly the Children鈥檚 Hands-On Museum).听

• Design/delivery partners cited include Steinberg Hart (with Davis Architects), Stone Building Company,听CambridgeSeven听and Theatre Projects.听

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. 鈥� The Saban Center reached a key construction benchmark March 30 as crews and project partners celebrated the building鈥檚 topping out at the future STEM-and-arts听learning campus in Tuscaloosa鈥檚 River District.听

The facility, described as a first-of-its-kind campus combining science, technology, engineering and math with arts programming, is expected to open in 2027.听

The marble-clad complex is being designed by Steinberg Hart in collaboration with Birmingham-based Davis Architects, with Stone Building Company serving as general contractor. Newly released renderings depict a series of curved pavilions connected to a transparent central tower.听

鈥淪aban Center is deeply personal to us鈥攚e鈥檝e been involved every step of the way, working closely with the design team to shape a place where children of all ages can explore their curiosity and imagine what鈥檚 possible for their futures,鈥� according to听.听

Renderings also show the building set into a natural slope on the 7.71-acre site, intended to reduce the perceived height at street level while creating a prominent landmark from the north. Project materials describe multiple outdoor approaches meant to position the campus as a public, inclusive destination for families and school groups.听

The exterior facade is planned to use locally sourced recycled marble from the Alabama Marble Mineral & Mining Company. Inside, the design team selected regionally sourced woods and metals as part of a sustainability approach that emphasizes local sourcing, material听reuse听and resilient construction.听

At the center of the complex, a 70-foot glass tower is expected to house an 18-foot illuminated globe described in project materials as a beacon for the evolving River District and a symbol of discovery and innovation.听

Led by Nick and Terry Saban and Nick鈥檚 Kids Foundation in partnership with the City of Tuscaloosa, the campus is being delivered through a public-private collaboration that also includes the State of Alabama, which plans to听establish听the State of Alabama STEM Hub on-site.听

Project leaders framed the building design as integral to the learning mission. 鈥淭he design of the Saban Center reflects a shared belief that architecture can actively support learning and discovery,鈥� according to听.听

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox also positioned the campus as a workforce-development asset, saying Saban Center 鈥渨ill be a catalyst for building Alabama鈥檚 future-ready workforce.”

This article is based on reporting originally published by Saban Center on March 30, 2026.听

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By Lindsey Coulter

Northeastern University is known for its emphasis on innovation, and the under-construction Roux Institute鈥攖he University鈥檚 newest permanent campus in Portland, Maine鈥攊s a perfect example of cutting-edge and future-focused education. When complete in 2027, the $500 million project will be a hub for learning, research and collaboration, hosting programs in digital engineering, computer and data sciences, artificial intelligence, advanced life sciences and medicine.

The dynamic new Roux Institute, named for founders David and Barbara Roux, will be the first of its kind for the region. Alongside academic and research programs, it will provide a base for partnerships and collaboration with start-ups and private, public and non-profit organizations. The campus will also allow for growth in residency and accelerator programs focused on the innovation economy and healthcare.

To bring this innovative vision of education and partnership to life, however, the University is reimagining a historic landmark: the site of the century-old B&M Baked Beans factory on a peninsula along the shore of Casco Bay.

Building for the Future

The Roux Institute project includes two significant design and construction components. The campus will be anchored by the new 245,000-square-foot Alfond Center and will include the redevelopment of the historic 58,000-square-foot 鈥淏ean鈥� building, which will undergo major rehabilitation. Both elements are designed by CambridgeSeven, which was selected for the project in 2021. The firm was one of several companies invited to participate in an international design competition to realize the joint vision of the Roux family and Northeastern University leaders.

鈥淭he project is almost exactly what we presented in the design competition,鈥� Timothy Mansfield, AIA, NCARB, president and CEO of CambridgeSeven. 鈥淚t has gone through a lot of iterations for budget, size, scale and so forth, but (it retained) the spirit of what we originally designed.鈥�

That initial design intent honors the site鈥檚 legacy while exploring new paradigms and spatial organizations for teaching, research and corporate partnerships.

The Alfond Center in particular will be a prime example of sustainable and resilient design. The building will serve as a research hub, advancing education in the digital, artificial intelligence and life sciences sectors, while stimulating Maine鈥檚 economy and enriching the local community.

鈥淭he design is really driven by the idea that the building needs to be flexible; over time the program is going to grow and change,鈥� Mansfield said.

As such, the firm developed a robust infrastructure plan that will allow the computational academic spaces to easily adapt according to evolving learning and instructional needs.

The Alfond Center, built by Consigli Construction Co. Inc., will feature a three-story mass timber section as well as a rooftop garden terrace. Its primary feature, the Portal, bridges the central circulation and gathering space with a soaring 30-foot-high ceiling with expansive views of the bay.

Honoring Historic Structures

Next door, the Bean Building, built in 1913, will serve as an incubator for collaboration. However, the structure already includes some surprisingly modern design elements.

鈥淭he building, in fact, was cutting-edge design at the time as an early example of a daylight factory,鈥� Mansfield explained. 鈥淭he concrete frame system allowed for brick infill and overscaled, large windows, which were very novel for a factory building. As a result, the workspaces were filled with daylight and created a wonderful interior environment for the factory workers.鈥�

In addition to the architecture being forward looking, the facility was also advancing techniques for food canning and food processing, which Mansfield noted as a powerful parallel in the Roux Institute鈥檚 creative reuse as a home for innovation and early-stage entrepreneurship.

Sustainability in Action

Sustainability was a primary focus in all the aspects of the design. Northeastern University has a robust sustainability initiative for all its campuses, but for this project the team created its own sustainability charter in collaboration with the city of Portland. While the project will not pursue LEED or net-zero certification, the Alfond Center will exceed sustainability goals as an all-electric building, using 82 geothermal wells for heating and cooling. The building also incorporates mass timber and photovoltaic array capacity, while the design of the modulated vertical facade panels cleverly reduces solar heat gain and glare through the use of parametric design software.

The entire campus, 80% of which was until recently covered by impervious buildings and pavement, will be relandscaped back to a naturalized setting. The landscape architect Stephen Stimson Associates will reintroduce plant life that is indigenous to coastal Maine. The Campus Plan includes three lightly landscaped areas in anticipation of future growth that could include residence halls or research buildings.

Bridging Aesthetics

CambridgeSeven took a holistic design approach to all campus components, inspired by the ideas of intertwining, collaboration and bridging as they applied to learning and research. Maintaining a sense of place and history was also critical to the project. The campus will embrace its industrial roots by incorporating granite, copper, wood and glass. However, the most significant (literally and figuratively) source of inspiration was the Bailey Island Bridge, which provided an important reference point in terms of architecture and materiality.

The iconic bridge is a remarkable example of engineering and is constructed of interlocking granite cribbing. The design uses gravity and crisscrossed granite pilings, allowing it to sustain significant weight as well as tidal currents. It is one of only two granite cribbing bridges in the world and is made of granite quarried in nearby Yarmouth. Incorporating design nods to the bridge also subtly communicates the idea of 鈥渂ridging鈥� the historical and modern iterations of the building as well as the academic and commercial functions of the campus.

Located on a small peninsula that juts into the Casco Bay, the Roux Institute is located 14 miles directly southwest of the landmark, and the Alfond Center will incorporate the key material characteristics of the bridge along with sweeping curvilinear forms that echo the curve of the shoreline. While the building鈥檚 lower volume will comprise an artful mix of granite and glass, the upper volume will transition to a more articulated fac抬ade of copper-like metal panels and glass that reflect Portland鈥檚 heritage of industrial architecture.

Campus and Community Revitalization

When the Roux Institute is complete, the campus will鈥攆or the first time in more than a century鈥攕erve as a public space.

鈥淭he gift of the project from Northeastern and David and Barb Roux is creating a campus and an environment that鈥檚 open to the public, because now there will be a real connection to the community,鈥� Mansfield said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very proud that we鈥檝e created a landmark for the university, but also one for the City of Portland.鈥�

Rounding out the campus are a new parking garage and an adjacent childcare center. Public bike paths will hug the shoreline, while green spaces and pedestrian areas will guide students, visitors and community members to a publicly accessible pier.

鈥淐ambridgeSeven is thrilled to be a part of the Roux鈥檚 and Northeastern鈥檚 vision and to have had the privilege of designing this dynamic building,鈥� Mansfield said. 鈥淲e believe it is going to be an iconic structure, and we鈥檝e already heard from folks in Maine that the Roux Institute is going to herald the future of Portland.鈥�

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Flandro joined the firm in 2006 as an exhibit designer where he worked on notable projects such as the High Technology Science Theater for the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the World Brooklyn Children’s Museum in Brooklyn, N.Y., and the expansion of The Scientific Center in Kuwait City, Kuwait. Flandro obtained a master鈥檚 degree in interior architecture, exhibit design and renovation and reuse from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2003.听听

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Mansfield succeeds Gary Johnson, AIA, in the role. Johnson will remain a key figure in the firm.听

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