After receiving approval for the project in October 2024, Vanderbilt University (VU) has released the first official renderings of its $519.5 million business and tech campus in West Palm Beach, Florida. The project’s design team is currently working on the campus’ master plan. The university anticipates breaking ground on the project in 2029.
The West Palm Beach Campus will be Vanderbilt’s foray into Florida, establishing a state-of-the-art institution focused on business, data science and artificial intelligence (AI). The 300,000-square-foot campus will feature a main academic building, student housing and a parking garage. VU also anticipates founding a cutting-edge innovation hub to create career opportunities for students and faculty.
Built on seven acres of land, Vanderbilt’s vision for the campus will include a tropical arboretum showcasing indigenous South Florida plant species and varieties. The finished project will be a living representation of the region’s native plant life, integrating greenspace with the school’s teaching and learning environment.
As a part of embracing the South Florida environment, the West Palm Beach Campus will emphasize networked outdoor spaces, integrating the natural environment with regular student activities and education. The architecture will use exposed mass timber for construction, designed to be both renewable and resilient to handle flooding and inclement weather.
The facility will also make use of renewable energy sources by installing photovoltaic cells on rooftops to power on-site lighting and other power needs. A few examples of potential site elements planned for the institution include the Academic and Innovation Building, the Executive Education and Lifelong Learning Building, an atrium, distance learning classrooms, extensive shared-use paths throughout the campus and rooftop terraces.
