Carnegie Mellon is planting a massive new science and arts complex squarely in the heart of Oakland, promising fresh labs, expanded computer science space, and a much larger contemporary art institute. The seven-story project is expected to reshape the Forbes Avenue gateway and is scheduled to open in 2027.
The effort is being steered by Ralph Horgan, the associate vice president who runs Campus Design and Facility Development at CMU, according to Carnegie Mellon University. Horgan laid out key pieces of the plan in a Q&A with Pittsburgh Business Times, and the paper reports he will take the stage at the "Corridors of Opportunity: Oakland" session on June 2.
Design That Reaches The Street
On its project page, ZGF Architects describes the Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences as a two-part "loop" and "tower" that stretches out to Forbes Avenue. The loop is set to hold public-facing amenities, while the tower stacks research and teaching floors above.
The firm’s materials call out a street-level restaurant, a public plaza, and roughly 29,000 square feet dedicated to the Institute for Contemporary Art Pittsburgh. All of it is intentionally arranged to make the building more open to city residents and to put everyday Oakland foot traffic closer to CMU’s front door, according to ZGF Architects.
What The Building Will Hold
Carnegie Mellon says the full complex will total about 338,900 square feet and will house departments from the Mellon College of Science and the School of Computer Science alongside the expanded ICA. Construction moved forward after an April 2024 groundbreaking, and the university has circled 2027 for a public opening, with major philanthropic gifts helping to underwrite the project, according to Carnegie Mellon University.
Why It Matters For Oakland
Design materials put a heavy emphasis on public access and visibility. Plans call for glass-lined galleries, an open first-floor program, and a plaza that connects directly to the Carnegie Museum of Art to draw neighborhood visitors into campus life. The loop’s street-facing program and plaza are explicitly pitched as an urban gesture meant to stitch CMU more tightly into Oakland’s cultural corridor, according to ZGF Architects.
Horgan To Speak June 2
In his Q&A with Pittsburgh Business Times, Horgan framed the work as a deliberate push to bring more of the university’s activity into the heart of Oakland. He walked through how the team tried to balance the operational demands of high-tech lab floors with the desire for welcoming, civic-facing spaces. That conversation, equal parts preview and design primer, is set to form the basis of his appearance at the "Corridors of Opportunity: Oakland" session on June 2.
Construction will continue through the next year as CMU and its design team refines interiors, programming, and public amenities. For neighbors and arts institutions, the project now taking shape on Forbes represents both a major new campus gateway and a test of how a research university can open itself to the city daily.
