+ Project Details

About
Highland Campus Advanced Manufacturing
Austin Community College District
Austin, TX
12,000 sf

Through partnerships with local industry, Austin Community College District’s (ACC) Advanced Manufacturing program prepares students for careers in today’s evolving manufacturing sector. The curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning in computer-aided design (CAD), production processes, quality control, electronics, robotics, and more. In close collaboration with program leadership, we designed labs, production areas, and specialized spaces to be adaptable for a range of manufacturing disciplines and partnerships. One of these, the Manufacturing Academy (MA), provides students with high-tech training in soldering, robotics, and electronics. Within the MA, the NXP Advanced Manufacturing Lab—developed in partnership with NXP Semiconductors—includes a dedicated classroom focused on the semiconductor industry and advanced automation. Here, students engage with Industry 4.0 technologies, factory automation, schematic reading, and feedback control systems, equipping them for roles in one of the region’s fastest-growing fields.

On the first level of Building 2000, we created two adjacent but distinct lab environments: the Innovative Manufacturing Partnerships Accelerating Central Texas (IMPACT) Lab and the Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping (AMP) Lab. Both support physical product development and feature robust infrastructure, open layouts, durable finishes, high ceilings, bright lighting, flexible workspaces, and large overhead doors. The IMPACT Lab serves as a business incubator connecting students, manufacturers, researchers, and entrepreneurs. Outfitted with advanced equipment—including 3D printers, laser cutters, a full woodworking shop, and machining tools—the lab lowers barriers to innovation while giving students hands-on experience alongside industry professionals. The AMP Lab, part of the Architectural and Engineering (A&E) CAD Department, allows students to gain practical experience in computer-aided manufacturing. Working from concept through fabrication, students operate machines, design components, and build finished products—learning the essential steps that turn ideas into reality.

Collaborators
Perkins & Will

Recognition
American Institute of Architects Dallas, 2024 Award of Merit
American Institute of Architects Austin, 2023 Design Award of Excellence
Austin Business Journal Commercial Real Estate Award, 2023 Community Impact Award
Urban Land Institute, Austin Chapter, 2022 Impact Award for Best Project Innovation