Building the Future on the Hill: Inside the Gibbs Center for Innovation

In early January 2026, Hopkins School announced construction plans for the Gibbs Center for Innovation—a new academic facility designed to support some of the School’s most dynamic and rapidly growing programs while creating new opportunities for connection across campus.

The building will be named the Gibbs Center for Innovation, honoring Josiah Willard Gibbs, Hopkins Grammar School Class of 1854, one of the most influential scientific minds in American history.

A New Haven native and Yale professor, Gibbs earned the nation’s first Ph.D. in engineering and made foundational contributions to physics and chemistry. By naming the Center in his honor, Hopkins celebrates a legacy of curiosity, rigor, and discovery that aligns closely with the building’s mission.

Construction is expected to begin in late 2026, with doors opening to students in the fall of 2028. As the project moves from vision to reality, excitement around the possibilities it presents continues to grow.

“This building creates more pathways for success,” Glendinning said. “Every student will move through this space. It will shape how we teach, how we learn, and how Hopkins prepares students to serve the world.”

For HARPS, the new building offers opportunities for deeper collaboration and expanded research.

“This program was created so students could do real-life research on campus,” said Priscilla Encarnação, Science Teacher and Director of HARPS. “What’s exciting about this building is that it brings together people from across the School. That intersection—where science meets other disciplines—is where some of the most meaningful learning happens.”

Robotics students will benefit from expanded space designed specifically for hands-on, project-based work.

“Our students want to design, test, problem-solve, and iterate,” said Lynn Connelly, Science Teacher and Head of Robotics. “This space gives them the freedom to do that in ways that mirror real-world engineering and teamwork.”

The Gibbs Center for Innovation also reflects Hopkins’ commitment to supporting students beyond academic programs. A new centralized Learning Center will bring together academic support, tutoring, and testing in a welcoming, purpose-built environment.

“Having a space that students associate with support and success really matters,” said Carrie Shea, Junior School teacher and member of the Academic Support Team. “Our programs have grown, and this allows us to meet students where they are.”

Matt Treat, Director of Academic Support, added, “We support about a seventh of the student body. This new space helps us continue evolving how we support students who are balancing rigorous academics with athletics, arts, and leadership.”

— John C. Malone ’59 HGS

John Malone’s relationship with Hopkins spans more than six decades. A former scholarship student, Malone has long credited the School with shaping the trajectory of his life—instilling in him both intellectual rigor and a lifelong sense of curiosity.

“Hopkins changed my life,” Malone said. “It taught me how to think, how to ask questions, and how to stay curious in a world that’s constantly changing.”

Over the past quarter-century, Malone’s philanthropy has helped define the campus and expand access to a Hopkins education. His support has made possible the Malone Science Center, Heath Commons, significant financial aid initiatives, and faculty support—investments that continue to impact the Hopkins community across generations.

“The world students are entering now is very different from the one I entered,” Malone said. “What hasn’t changed is the importance of curiosity—of wanting to understand how things work and being willing to explore what’s next.”

“John often speaks about how Hopkins changed his life,” Gwen Evans said. “Through his generosity, he has created that same opportunity for countless students who followed him.”

In addition to fully funding construction of the new Center, Malone’s gift will endow faculty positions and the building’s long-term upkeep, ensuring that future generations are not burdened with its maintenance.

“Hopkins School is a unique asset,” Malone said. “The academic level, the kind of graduates it produces—it’s extraordinary. Institutions like this require philanthropic support, and those who have benefited from the experience should think seriously about giving back.”

Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative, the architectural firm behind several of Hopkins’ most recent buildings, the Gibbs Center for Innovation will complete the academic heart of campus and reflect the School’s timeless architectural character.

Inside, the building emphasizes openness, flexibility, and shared energy. A two-story student commons and exhibition hall will serve as a central gathering space, encouraging the exchange of ideas and the celebration of student work. Surrounding it will be purpose-built environments designed to support inquiry, experimentation, and collaboration.

The Center will include a dedicated research hub for the Hopkins Authentic Research Program in Science (HARPS); an expanded robotics design and competition studio; a multi-room computer science instructional suite; an innovation and fabrication studio; a centralized Learning Center; a digital media production studio; an Information Technology help desk; flexible classrooms and breakout rooms; and a domed immersive theater offering 360-degree visualization across disciplines.

“Imagine a history class not just reading about ancient Rome, but walking through it,” Glendinning said. “Or a biology class exploring a cell at the atomic level. These spaces fundamentally expand how teaching and learning can happen.”

Sustainability is also central to the project, with plans for geothermal heating and cooling, as well as long-term environmental stewardship.

For the faculty leading Hopkins’ fastest-growing programs, the new Center represents both validation and momentum.

“The computer science department has grown tremendously over the past several years, and even more so since I was a student here,” said Keri Matthews ’94, Mathematics Teacher and Director of Computer Science. “Having a dedicated space allows us to think bigger about how we teach—how students collaborate, experiment, and build skills that apply far beyond the classroom.”

The 32,000-square-foot facility will stand on the south side of the Hopkins Quad and serve as a hub for research, engineering, computing, storytelling, and interdisciplinary learning, while also providing expanded resources for academic support and campus-wide learning.

The new structure will be made possible by a $50 million gift from John C. Malone ’59 HGS, the largest in the School’s history.

“This is a once-in-a-generation moment for Hopkins,” said Gwen Evans ’84, Chair of the Hopkins Committee of Trustees. “This building reflects both where the School has been and where it is going. It is extraordinary that it is being made possible through John Malone’s generosity.”

Head of School Matt Glendinning made the announcement in front of the Hopkins community during an all-school assembly.

“This gift ensures that students will be prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” Glendinning said. “It ensures that Hopkins students continue to lead as innovators, designers, researchers, and problem solvers. It’s a place where students won’t just imagine the future—they’ll build it.”

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Key Features of the Gibbs Center for Innovation

• HARPS Research Center
  Dedicated laboratory space for original student research
• Robotics Design and Competition Studio
  Expanded building and testing space for project-based engineering
• Computer Science Instructional Suite
  Multiple classrooms designed for collaborative computing
• Innovation and Fabrication Studio
  Flexible workshop supporting engineering, design, and entrepreneurship
• Digital Media Production Studio
  Professional-quality space for video, audio, journalism, and storytelling
• Immersive Theater
  Domed, 360-degree visualization space for science, humanities, and the arts
• Centralized Learning Center
  Academic support, tutoring, and testing in a student-centered environment
• Student Commons and Exhibition Hall
  Two-story gathering space for collaboration and showcasing student work
• IT Help Desk
  Integrated technology support for students and faculty
• Sustainable Design Features
  Geothermal heating and cooling, as well as long-term environmental stewardship