Internationally renowned architect Michael Graves - whose designs for the University of Virginia and Emory and Rice universities have received wide acclaim - will design a major expansion of Temple University's Fox School of Business and Management.

Graves will be working in a joint venture with the Philadelphia offices of the Butler, Pa.-based firm Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates.

The $67 million project, to be completed in late 2006, includes the demolition of Curtis Hall and the construction of a new facility that will connect with Speakman Hall, the existing home of The Fox School on Temple's main campus.

"Michael Graves and his firm of outstanding architects are among the leading thinkers in the design of facilities ranging from corporate headquarters and multi-use urban developments to academic buildings and libraries," Temple President David Adamany said in announcing Graves' selection. "We look forward to working with Michael and his impressive architectural design team in creating a center of learning that will enhance The Fox School's role as a regional center for research, training, and business education, and as a recognized leader in international business programs."

Graves, founder of Michael Graves & Associates, said: "Temple's Fox School is well known for its academic excellence and its relationships with the corporate community. I am excited by the opportunity to apply our experiences in both of those arenas toward giving The Fox School a signature building worthy of its future."

"Business school education has been transformed by information technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, and a truly global economic environment," added Howard Gittis, chairman of Temple's board of trustees. "In addition to providing a modern, world-class facility, this new building will meet the space needs for Temple's fastest-growing college."

The Fox School and its affiliate School of Tourism and Hospitality Management currently enroll over 6,000 students, with 4,200 studying on the main campus. The schools have experienced a remarkable 44 percent growth in undergraduate enrollment in the past five years. The new building will accommodate The Fox School and the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management which was established in 1998 and is currently sharing space in Pearson and Vivacqua halls, several blocks away.

To accommodate this rapid enrollment growth, the new structure will include a number of large, technology-enhanced classrooms as well as smaller, flexible learning communities that will foster interaction among students, faculty and mentors from the business community. It will also provide office space for faculty, staff, and student organizations, lounge and study areas, conference and breakout rooms, computer labs and state-of-the-art business teaching and support spaces.

"A physical environment that reflects the business culture to which our graduates aspire will ensure that our students are well prepared and competitive when they embark on their professional careers," noted M. Moshe Porat, dean of The Fox School. "It will also strengthen our partnerships with the business community and our ability to maintain the leadership role in business management education in the region and beyond."

President Adamany added: "By selecting such esteemed architects for this signature building, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has again demonstrated its commitment to support world-class educational opportunities."

The new Fox School facility is a key component of a $380 million capital improvement program planned at Temple over the next several years, including plans for a new Tyler School of Art and a new School of Medicine.

The Fox School of Business and Management at Temple is the largest, most comprehensive business school in the region and is one of the largest in the country, offering the entire spectrum of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs, over 20 areas of study and educational opportunities regionally and abroad through its international programs. Established in 1918, the school attracts a diverse student body and a faculty that excels in research and teaching. Among its many achievements, The Fox School's Executive M.B.A. program was recently ranked 14th in the nation and among the Top 25 in the World by the Financial Times.

Michael Graves & Associates has been at the forefront of architectural and interior design for over 30 years and has received more than 160 design awards. Graves was awarded the 2001 AIA Gold Medal and the 1999 National Medal of Arts. Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates has designed academic facilities for Allegheny College, Boston University, Carnegie Mellon, and Saint Joseph's University. The Principal-in-Charge for Burt Hill will be David Madeira, AIA, and working with Michael Graves as Collaborating Lead Designer and Principal-in-Charge will be Thomas Rowe, AIA.