The University of New Mexico began construction on its new Humanities & Social Sciences building on Oct. 22, 2026, on the site of the previous Humanities facility.
The estimated $130.5 million project is the culmination of academic, space, facility, and capital planning that began in 2020. An initial assessment determined that the more than 50-year-old Humanities building had reached the end of its useful life.
Opportunities were identified to bring together academic programs, improve space utilization, and support evolving teaching and learning needs with the construction of a modern, welcoming facility, with spaces that encourage collaboration and informal interaction among students and faculty.
Planning began for a new facility in 2022, with needs assessments, requests for funding, and academic programming to assess the new building's scope.
The project's physical work began in July 2025, with the demolition of the original Humanities building and expansion of utilities and infrastructure.
Design is being finalized, headed by Studio Tsien of New York and SMPC of Albuquerque.
Bradbury Stamm Construction served as the demolition contractor, although the general contractor hasn't been named.
Funding sources include $52 million from General Obligation Bond 3, which was approved by voters on Nov. 5, 2024, and $40 million from Severance Tax Bonds with another $2 million of General Fund support contributing to the demolition of the old Humanities facility. UNM is contributing 20 percent of the facility replacement costs.
“The humanities and social sciences are fundamental to a university education,” UNM Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Barbara Rodriguez said. “This new facility reflects our commitment to the importance of these disciplines and creates opportunities for students and faculty to connect ideas across fields of study.”
The new building will house eight academic units that will serve nearly all new freshmen at UNM as they complete the core Humanities classes required for most degrees. The space will be open to the public, and designed to support all students across the university, while housing dynamic learning spaces and technology-integrated classrooms. Shared spaces will support student collaboration, cultural programming, and community engagement.
Construction is estimated to take approximately 2.5 years, with teaching and research operations expected to begin in 2029 upon completion and opening.
