Campus Planning & Architecture

Designing the Future of Higher Education, One Campus at a Time

Shape the spaces where mission meets momentum. Our higher education campus planning and architecture services align vision, design, and strategy to help every student—and every square foot—thrive.

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Our Approach

We begin with people, not blueprints. Carnegie’s collaborative process engages presidents, trustees, finance leaders, and campus stakeholders to align physical planning with institutional missions and financial health. The result is an actionable roadmap—grounded in data, community voice, and strategic intent—that transforms facilities into catalysts for learning, engagement, and growth.

Ways We Bring Vision to Life

Campus Planning

We help institutions navigate the now and next of higher education through campus planning that connects mission, resources, and the student experience. Our data-informed, future-ready plans turn vision into action, creating spaces where students thrive and institutions grow stronger.

Architecture

Our architecture for higher education begins with people, not buildings. We design student-centered spaces that foster belonging, learning, and connection, bringing your mission to life in every detail and helping students see themselves in your story.

How it Works

Reveal What Makes Your Campus Distinct

We begin by uncovering what makes your institution unique. Through stakeholder engagement and space analysis, we identify opportunities where strategic campus planning and design can enhance mission delivery, financial sustainability, and the student experience.

Design for Learning, Connection, and Belonging

Next, we translate insight into action. Our architects and planners develop data-informed, future-ready solutions that balance vision with feasibility, ensuring every recommendation supports long-term growth, resource optimization, and student connection.

Align Leadership, Community, and Strategy

We bring the full community together—trustees, presidents, finance leaders, and students—to build shared ownership of the plan. Every voice contributes to a design that reflects your institutional values and advances your strategic and financial priorities.

Sustain Impact Beyond the Blueprint

Finally, we help you move from blueprint to breakthrough. Whether guiding implementation, communicating impact, or measuring results, we ensure your campus plan remains actionable, adaptable, and connected to what matters most: changing students’ lives for good.

Ready to Get Started?

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Revitalizing Campus Spaces Builds Community and Catalyzes Growth

The University of the Ozarks launched a strategic plan to enrich student life, strengthen connections with its community, and reverse more than a decade of declining enrollment.

Featured Campus Planning and Architecture Case Study

“The genius of our master plan with Carnegie is that it was drawn in pencil, not stone. It set a vision but gave us the flexibility to adapt. That’s why, a decade later, we’re still right on track and able to seize opportunities as they come.”

Richard L. Dunsworth
President
University of the Ozarks

Read Case Study
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University of the Ozarks

University of the Ozarks

Enriching student life, strengthening connections, and reversing declining enrollment.
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Research

Summer Research Series: College Choice Trends

From search behavior and trust in digital content to shifting values around academics, cost, and fit, this report explores how families are navigating the path to college in 2025.

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Our Thoughts on Campus Planning and Architecture

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Student Success
Carnegie Conversations: Meeting the Moment
Watch
Student Success
Carnegie Conversations: Answering Questions About International Enrollment, Public Trust, and Student Success in Higher Education

By Carnegie Higher Ed

Institutional Strategy
No Time to Blink: A Practical Guide for Higher Education Executives and Boards

By Bill Fahrner

Institutional Strategy
Reckoning with Higher Education’s Role in a Polarized America

By Alex Kappus

Integrated Solutions for Student and Institutional Success

Strategic Planning
Transform big ideas into actionable strategies. We help you align mission, resources, and leadership to create adaptive plans built for impact.
Explore Strategic Planning
Leadership Development
Equip your leadership team to drive institutional transformation. From executive coaching to capacity building, we empower leaders at every level.
Explore Leadership Development
Student Success and Retention
Foster belonging and persistence through strategies that connect student ambitions with institutional opportunities, turning engagement into measurable success.
Explore Student Success and Retention
Financial Aid Optimization
Design aid strategies that balance affordability and institutional goals, helping more students say yes while sustaining long-term enrollment health.
Explore Financial Aid Optimization

Write Your Campus’s Next Chapter

Your campus is the physical expression of your promise to students. Let’s shape it with intention, data, and heart, so every space tells your story and every investment drives impact.