George Mason University has broken ground on an expansion of its Arlington, Va., campus.
The $235 million, 345,000-square-foot Fuse at Mason Square will serve as a technological hub and will house the university's new School of Computing, the university says in a news release.
The facility is being designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification as a net-zero-ready building. It will feature a green roof for energy-efficient heating and cooling, and specialized labs for robotics, virtual reality, simulation, security and data visualization.
Other amenities will include community seating in a double-height atrium, a 750-seat theater-style multipurpose room, retail, a public plaza and a below-grade parking garage, making it a gathering place for the campus and nearby community.
This Arlington expansion supports the state of Virginia’s Tech Talent Investment Program, which seeks to produce more than 25,000 additional graduates over 20 years in computer science, computer engineering and software engineering.
The building is slated to open in 2025.
