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Hopkins School to Build a New Center for Innovation and Technology
Hopkins School has announced plans to construct a new state-of-the-art Center for Innovation and Technology that will significantly expand opportunities for research, design, computing, and interdisciplinary learning. The 32,000-square-foot facility will serve as a hub for some of the School’s fastest growing academic programs and will play a central role in preparing students for a rapidly changing world.
Fully funded by a $50 million gift from John C. Malone ’59 HGS, the largest in Hopkins’ history, the new Center represents a major investment in the future of teaching and learning at the School.
A Building Designed for How Students Learn Today—and TomorrowThe new Center will be located on the south side of the Hopkins Quad, completing the academic heart of campus. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative, the facility brings together research, technology, and creative production in one highly flexible, collaborative environment.
Key features of the Center will include:
- A 2,500-square-foot Research Center for the Hopkins Authentic Research Program in Science (HARPS)
- An expanded design and competition studio for Robotics, now serving more than 130 students
- A multi-room instructional suite for Computer Science
- An innovation and fabrication studio supporting engineering, entrepreneurship, and interdisciplinary projects
- A centralized Learning Center providing academic support for students across grade levels
- A domed Immersive Theater enabling 360-degree visualization for science and humanities courses
- A Digital Media Production Studio
- An IT Help Desk
- Flexible classrooms, breakout rooms, and a two-story student commons and exhibition hall
- LEED certification, including geothermal heating and cooling
Together, these spaces will allow students to move seamlessly from idea to execution—whether they are conducting original research, building prototypes, producing digital media, or collaborating across disciplines.
Hopkins expects to break ground in late 2026, with a goal of opening the Center to students in fall 2028.
Advancing the Vision of Hopeful YouthsHead of School Matt Glendinning emphasized that the new Center directly supports the School’s strategic plan, Hopeful Youths, which prioritizes creativity, collaboration, digital fluency, and real-world application of knowledge.
“This building is about far more than technology,” Glendinning said. “It’s about how students think, create, and solve problems. The Center for Innovation and Technology will touch every Hopkins student and will shape how we teach and learn for generations.”
A Transformational Gift from John C. Malone ’59 HGSThe Center is made possible by a $50 million gift from Malone, Chairman Emeritus of Liberty Media and one of the most influential figures in telecommunications and media. A former scholarship student, Malone has long credited Hopkins with shaping the trajectory of his life and career.
“Hopkins changed my life,” Malone said. “As technology reshapes the world, students need opportunities to understand new tools and apply them thoughtfully. My hope is that this Center helps Hopkins remain a national leader in education for centuries to come.”
In addition to funding construction, a portion of the gift will support endowed faculty positions and the long-term stewardship of the building.
Honoring a Legacy of Scientific InnovationThe facility will be named The Gibbs Center for Innovation, honoring Josiah Willard Gibbs, a member of the Hopkins Grammar School Class of 1854 and one of the most influential scientists in American history.
A New Haven native and Yale professor, Gibbs earned the nation’s first Ph.D. in engineering in 1863 and made groundbreaking contributions to physics and chemistry that continue to shape modern science. By naming the Center in his honor, Hopkins celebrates a legacy of curiosity, rigor, and discovery that aligns closely with the building’s mission.
A Lasting Investment in the Hopkins CommunityPresident of the Hopkins Committee of Trustees Gwen Evans ’84 noted that the new Center builds on Malone’s longstanding partnership with the School, which has previously supported major campus facilities and expanded access through financial aid.
“John’s generosity has helped shape Hopkins for more than a quarter century,” Evans said. “This Center ensures that our students will continue to learn in spaces that match their ambition, creativity, and potential.”
Click here to visit the official project webpage, which includes a special announcement video featuring reactions from our community. The page will also include real-time updates on construction progress.
Hopkins is a private middle school and high school for grades 7-12. Located on a campus overlooking New Haven, CT, the School takes pride in its intellectually curious students as well as its dedicated faculty and staff.
Hopkins School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.