Reimagining education through open, collaborative, and sustainable design.

Montana State University’s Norm Asbjornson Hall was conceived as a state-of-the-art facility to support the university’s growing engineering and honors programs. Backed by a historic $50 million donation from alumnus Norm Asbjornson—with $20 million in additional funding from other donors—the project delivered a 110,000-square-foot academic hub that embodies MSU’s vision for cross-disciplinary, hands-on learning. The building includes 10 classrooms, 17 instructional labs, maker spaces, and flexible presentation venues, all housed within a highly energy-efficient structure. In addition to the building, the property includes a new $10 million, 500+ car, four-story concrete post-tensioned parking garage to support the new innovation center.

Morrison-Maierle provided structural engineering services to help realize the design team’s goal of wide-open, collaborative spaces filled with natural light. Long-span steel beams minimized internal columns while meeting seismic and environmental load requirements in Bozeman’s demanding climate. The result is a dynamic and resilient academic center that showcases engineering in both form and function, and serves as a recruitment and retention tool for future MSU students and leaders.