The New Mexico Literacy Institute (NMLI), an educational center spanning approximately 2,880 square meters, developed by the Multistudio bureau in collaboration with Design Plus Architects located in Albuquerque, is scheduled to open in December 2026. This project in New Mexico state is an initiative championed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, aiming to create a statewide facility for literacy education that serves students of various ages and proficiency levels.
The design integrates educational, recreational, and public spaces, viewing literacy as a process extending beyond the traditional classroom. It was created in partnership with experienced education specialists focused on literacy programs, as well as a technical team responsible for managing the facility.
Instead of structuring the building around rooms with fixed functions, the design allows spaces to accommodate individual learning, group activities, teaching, games, and informal interaction. Both interior and exterior areas are designed to simultaneously host over 550 students and education professionals, allowing visitors to move between zones according to their needs and interests.
The interiors combine vibrant colors, tactile materials, sculptural forms, and small spaces that encourage exploration. Books, stationery, paper, and toys are integrated throughout the building, while built-in shelves and reading nooks extend learning activities into passageways. Unexpected staircases and corridors create additional connections between rooms, offering visitors opportunities to discover different activities while moving through the building.
According to Steve Valev, Associate Director at Multistudio, the project aims to offer diverse learning scenarios rather than dictating a single way to use the building. The central courtyard extends the educational program into the landscape, providing additional areas for both individual and collective sessions.
The outdoor area, surrounded by local vegetation, includes dedicated study zones, interactive play elements, amphitheater seating, relaxation areas, and a traditional storytelling spot with an outdoor fire pit (chiminea). The courtyard is also suitable for informal gatherings and community events, linking the building's internal programs with its external environment.
The sculptural roof and the building's sloped forms adapt to the terrain while directing rainwater to a centralized collection point. These features are part of the project's ecological strategies, which also aim for LEED Gold certification. By combining flexible indoor spaces with an outdoor learning environment, the project supports numerous educational activities, ranging from reading and individual study to seminars and large public assemblies.
Among other recent project announcements is the Sharjah Design Centre, designed by Taller de Arquitectura – Mauricio Rocha in collaboration with Daniel Rosselló, slated to open in 2029 within the Sharjah Creative Quarter, which encompasses design research, material experimentation, and production. In California, the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity presented a master plan for its future archives in Marin County, designed by Herzog & de Meuron and EHDD, which will transform a mid-century modernist warehouse into a cultural center featuring landscaping by Field Operations. Concurrently, the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh has hired the firm AD—WO, led by Emanuel Admassu and Gene Wood, to re-envision the Heinz Architectural Center into a modern space for exhibitions, research, and public engagement.
