Construction is now underway on the U.S. Naval Academy’s Hopper Hall, a new academic building for cyber studies, the computer science department, and other related disciplines. The building is named in honor of Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, a pioneer in computer science. It is the first academic building named after a woman at a major service academy in the United States. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) will serve as design lead on Turner Construction’s design-build team, a partnership that continues SOM’s leadership in alternate delivery methods.
As the first purpose-built facility dedicated to cyber warfare based at an academy, Hopper Hall represents a significant step forward in the evolution of the United States military and its growing awareness and understanding of operations in the cyber domain. The six story, 206,400-square-foot building will support the Naval Academy’s programs that encompass the knowledge, study, and research of cyber warfare. It will be the first academic building constructed on the Naval Academy’s campus, in Annapolis, Maryland, since 1975.
“Our design for Hopper Hall will serve the Naval Academy’s mission to equip a new generation of leaders with the knowledge and resources to protect the nation against 21st-century threats,” said Roger Duffy, Design Partner at SOM.
Designed for a triangular waterfront site, the building aims to reinforce the Naval Academy campus’ connection to the waterfront by providing clear sightlines through the building, preserving historic views, and celebrating the Navy’s relationship to the water. SOM’s design will enhance the academy’s Project-Based Learning curriculum by providing new classrooms, teaching and research laboratories, offices, multi-purpose space, an observatory, and a research and testing tank. The building will feature a central hub dubbed “The Bridge,” a collegial gathering place where the diverse activities taking place in the facility will converge.
“While this is the first academic building constructed on the Yard since Rickover Hall nearly 40 years ago, more importantly it represents the Naval Academy’s ability to stay at the forefront of academic excellence and relevance as we develop midshipmen for their future careers in a world where cyber warfare is certain to be a factor,” said Dr. Andrew Phillips, Academic Dean and Provost at the Naval Academy.
The cyber studies building is the tenth design-build project in the Mid-Atlantic region for SOM, joining award-winning projects including the C4ISR Center for Excellence in Aberdeen, Maryland, the U.S. Census Bureau Headquarters in Suitland, Maryland, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Construction of Hopper Hall is expected to be complete by fall 2019.
About Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is one of the leading architecture, interior design, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world, with an 80-year reputation for design excellence and a portfolio that includes some of the most important architectural accomplishments of the 20th and 21st centuries. Since its inception, SOM has been a leader in the research and development of specialized technologies, new processes and innovative ideas, many of which have had a palpable and lasting impact on the design profession and the physical environment. The firm’s longstanding leadership in design and building technology has been honored with nearly 2,000 awards for quality, innovation, and management. The American Institute of Architects has recognized SOM twice with its highest honor, the Architecture Firm Award—in 1962 and again in 1996. The firm maintains offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai, and Abu Dhabi.