INTRODUCING DROSDICK HALL
As the 2024-25 academic year begins, Villanova University officially opens Drosdick Hall—the new home of the College of Engineering—following the completion of a $125 million, 150,000-square-foot expansion that further underscores the University’s commitment to interdisciplinary research and innovation as part of its Strategic Plan.
A NEW ERA FOR THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Developed through a collaborative process with input from engineering faculty and students and designed by BLTa–A Perkins Eastman Studio and Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP, this ambitious and forward-looking project more than doubled the size of the College of Engineering’s primary academic building. In addition to creating a new home for the entire engineering community, the expansion impacts and elevates every aspect of the College’s academic and student experience with improved and expanded research facilities focused on interdisciplinary connections and state-of-the-art instruction spaces for hands-on, problem-oriented and team-based learning.
Introducing Drosdick Hall
A world-class facility designed to match a world-class education.
Realize the Impact
The expanded College of Engineering building better enables Villanova engineers to collaborate and innovate.
A SPACE FOR COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION
With every College of Engineering department in one location—rather than being spread across 6 buildings on campus—collaboration, innovation and a sense of distinctive College identity will grow and thrive. From the placement of faculty offices to lab configurations to gathering spaces, every aspect of the expansion is designed to foster connections and facilitate collaborative discovery and cross-disciplinary advances. In addition to serving as a learning and innovation hub for Villanova engineers, the expanded building benefits the entire Villanova community with common spaces open to all.
The 150,000 sq. ft. addition more than doubles the existing 92,000 sq. ft. building and allows space for:
- More than 20 additional research laboratory spaces—an expansion of engineering lab space of more than 60 percent.
- The two-story Drosdick Innovation Lab—open to any student in an engineering program—which includes laser and 3-D printers, workbenches and workspaces, tools and equipment for building, and will be able to accommodate the Formula SAE car.
- The Jones Family Student Learning Commons, a community space at the heart of the building for all Villanovans to gather, study and learn.
- Green roofs—instrumented with smart systems to collect and monitor climate and soil moisture data—which will serve as cutting-edge teaching and research resources.
- State-of-the-art instruction spaces that can adapt to small discussion and larger lecture formats.
- Dedicated and centrally located spaces for the College of Engineering’s master’s and doctoral students, enhancing their experience as part of the College community and strengthening the entire academic environment.
BY THE NUMBERS
150,000
square foot expansion
$125
million total project cost
63%
expansion of lab space
25,000
cubic yeards of earth excavated
971.2
tons of steel utilized
488
pieces of precast with stone veneer
BUILDING NAMING: DROSDICK HALL
The new home for the College of Engineering has been named Drosdick Hall in recognition of $20 million in ongoing support of the College’s building expansion project from John G. Drosdick ’65 (COE).
Mr. Drosdick is the retired chairman and chief executive officer of Sunoco, Inc., and a former chair of the Villanova University Board of Trustees. A longstanding supporter of Villanova University and the College of Engineering, Mr. Drosdick also previously endowed the College of Engineering deanship through the Drosdick Endowed Dean’s Fund, which supports the ongoing strategic priorities of the College, as well as the John G. Drosdick Endowed University Scholarship, which supports engineering students with demonstrated financial need.
VILLANOVA'S STRATEGIC PLAN
To support Villanova’s growth in national stature and research output, the University is transforming and increasing academic spaces with an emphasis on the STEM areas as part of its Rooted. Restless. Strategic Plan. The expansion of the College of Engineering building not only advances this initiative addressing academic spaces, but also initiatives related to research and teaching and learning. The renovated building will add teaching labs, research labs and study space on campus—Villanova’s greatest needs—and by consolidating the College of Engineering into one main building will make available others for future projects.