Lehigh University / Science and Engineering Masterplan

The Science & Engineering Framework Plan serves as a strategic roadmap to advance the University’s academic enterprise and align facility renewal with Lehigh’s core academic priorities.

The plan focuses on two main components for the Science and Engineering departments: programs and facilities. The first track addresses academic programs and space needs. It analyzes the utilization and condition of existing facilities to document future space requirements for 13 departments, accounting for current, optimally-sized, and growth-oriented programs. This analysis determines which buildings are best suited for simple upgrades, full renovation, or replacement, with conceptual cost estimates provided for each. 

The second track involves a physical evaluation of the facilities, assessing the condition of spaces relative to their functional use. This leads to the proposal of capital projects across the Packer Campus
and two specific projects on the Mountaintop Campus. Ultimately, the Framework Plan offers a set of facility options and phased “if-then” scenarios for long-term renewal, acting as a flexible decision-making tool rather than a rigid, prescriptive sequence of events.