WALTHAM, Mass.— Bentley University has begun an $85 million renovation of its largest academic facility, aiming to modernize the campus with cutting-edge technology and immersive learning environments, as reported by the Boston Business Journal.
The project focuses on a complete overhaul of the Adamian Academic Center, a 90,000-square-foot building that serves as one of the most heavily used student spaces on campus. According to BBJ, construction began in March following two years of planning in collaboration with DSK Architects, with completion expected by fall 2027.
University officials say the renovation is designed to “future proof” the building by integrating advanced technologies into business education. Paul Tesluk, provost and vice president for academic affairs, told BBJ the project is centered on enabling innovation at scale.
“This is about creating the physical space that will allow for technology entrepreneurship at scale,” Tesluk told BBJ.
According to BBJ, the redesigned facility will span four levels and include new amenities such as a café, open courtyard, and faculty offices. More significantly, the building will introduce a series of specialized, tech-enabled learning spaces intended to transform how students engage with coursework.
Among the planned additions is Bentley’s first “maker space,” where students can design and build products, as well as classrooms equipped with virtual and augmented reality capabilities. Tesluk also described to BBJ an immersive data lab featuring wraparound ribbon screens on every wall, allowing students to analyze real-time data tied to current global events.
“Imagine a finance class that looks at how events in the Middle East impact markets or oil in real time,” Tesluk told BBJ. “There are a host of fascinating topics you could look at with this type of space.”
The renovation is also influencing curriculum development, with the university redesigning certain courses to take full advantage of the new experiential learning environments. According to BBJ, even required undergraduate courses, such as computer science, are being updated to integrate these new technologies.
Tesluk told BBJ that the broader Bentley community has played a role in shaping the project, with input from students across all academic levels, from pre-college to doctoral programs.
“Adamian is intended to have hundreds of students in the space every day and we’re working now on how to cement the semester sequences to see which courses can use various spaces,” Tesluk told BBJ.
The investment reflects a broader trend among higher education institutions seeking to blend technology, data, and hands-on learning into academic environments, positioning students for careers in increasingly digital and data-driven industries.
