The University of Alabama at Birmingham inaugurated the School of Engineering’s new home — Frances and Miller Gorrie Hall — at a ribbon-cutting held June 3.

In 2023, Brasfield & Gorrie broke ground on the new facility at the heart of UAB’s campus, strategically positioned on 13th Street South beside Mervyn H. Sterne Library. Gorrie Hall is a vital facet of UAB’s strategic plan, Forging Ahead, and Campus Master Plan, reinforcing the School of Engineering’s mission to attract faculty and train the next generation of modern engineers.

“This world-class facility will make our School of Engineering all the more collaborative and competitive in attracting top faculty and students, providing real-world learning opportunities and conducting leading-edge research that impacts people’s lives across Alabama and beyond,” said UAB President Ray L. Watts. “We are deeply grateful to the Gorrie family, Brasfield & Gorrie, and other partners who are helping us take UAB Engineering to greater heights with this state-of-the-art new home.”

Prime design and building features

Gorrie Hall is Phase 2 of the Science and Engineering Complex, powered by sophisticated technology and design, featuring “showpiece” spaces throughout the approximately 110,000-square-foot facility.

To provide a holistic educational experience to future engineers, the facility consists of advanced labs, research suites, common areas and the Student Success Suite, composed of three major components: the Peer Tutoring Lab, First-Year Advising and Engineering Career Services.

The peer tutoring lab offers face-to-face, individualized academic support, improving retention and academic outcomes. Dedicated first-year advisers help students with a strong head start in engineering and navigating the right major for them. The Engineering Career Services team gives students hands-on, real-world experience through a guaranteed internship program while also introducing them to potential employers.

“This building project provided us with a huge opportunity to create a modern, collaborative research and learning environment for our students and faculty,” said Jeffrey W. Holmes, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the School of Engineering. “Student-focused spaces like the Design and Prototyping Lab and the Vulcan Materials Testing Lab will help students get hands-on experience with state-of-the-art engineering tools, while the Student Success Suite integrates advising, tutoring and career services to support our students throughout their time at UAB.”

The construction of Gorrie Hall was supported by the Gorrie family, who say they have great confidence in UAB’s role in advancing the economic integrity and prosperity of Alabama.

“Birmingham would not be the thriving, growing city it has become without UAB,” said Brasfield & Gorrie Founder Miller Gorrie. “The university has shaped the city Brasfield & Gorrie calls home, and it’s an honor to see our work together recognized through Gorrie Hall.”

The 2,000-square-foot Vulcan Materials Testing Lab houses the equipment needed to conduct compression, bending, tensile and impact testing on a wide range of materials. This lab is crucial to graduates’ training and the school’s efforts to proactively introduce local K-12 students to engineering careers.

Additional features of the building include research and teaching labs, a design and rapid prototyping lab, collaborative research suites for material engineering, neuroengineering and transportation and smart cities, the Brasfield & Gorrie Employees Student Study Commons, and an outdoor patio.

Brasfield & Gorrie was the low bidder on this project and the building was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood. Blazers can look forward to classes being held in the cutting-edge facility starting this fall.