UNM breaks ground on $130.5 million Humanities building

University of New Mexico students beginning on Main Campus will soon take their required humanities courses in a newly constructed facility. The $130.5 million Humanities and Social Sciences building is designed to accommodate eight academic departments, four interdisciplinary institutes, and the Language Learning Center. Because nearly every first-year student at UNM must complete these requirements, the building will serve a large portion of the incoming class each year.

The new structure rises on the site of the original Humanities building, which opened in 1974. That structure was demolished in 2025 after a facility assessment concluded it had reached the end of its usable life. The assessment cited ongoing structural issues and flooding challenges as the primary reasons for its removal.

University and state leaders gathered on Thursday, October 22, to mark the official start of construction. UNM President Steve Goldstein described the project as a statement about the university's values and future vision. "The buildings we raise tell our students, our neighbors, and the world who we are and what we hold dear," Goldstein said. He characterized the new HSS building as a home suited to the ambitions of the faculty it will house.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is leaving office at the end of the year, joined the ceremony to congratulate the university. She urged continued state investment in UNM students and faculty. "Let’s keep building, shall we?" she said.

Provost Barbara Rodriguez, a UNM alumna, noted that the new building will support students in diverse fields, from healthcare to quantum science. "Opportunities to think critically, communicate clearly and solve complex problems," Rodriguez said. Jennifer Malat, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, emphasized that the subjects taught in the building are personal for many students. "They are how a society remembers, questions and imagines," Malat said.

Faculty, staff, and students contributed to the design process, requesting spaces that welcome the community. The final plan includes an events space and a community kitchen where faculty, students, families, and community members can prepare food and celebrate cultures. The architecture, designed by Studio Tsien in partnership with Albuquerque’s SMPC Architects, draws inspiration from New Mexican sites such as Acoma Pueblo and Bandelier National Monument. The building will also feature a Digital Humanities lab, a recording studio, and a campus living room.

The Humanities and Social Sciences building is expected to open in Spring 2029. Additional information about the facility is available at artsci.unm.edu/hss.