Construction begins on the U.S. Naval Academy’s new cyber studies and computer science department building, Hopper Hall

A new six-story, 206,400-sf building is currently under construction on the U.S. Naval Academy’s campus that will house cyber studies, the computer science department, and other related disciplines.

Hopper Hall, named after Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, is the first academic building named after a woman at a major service academy in the United States and is also the first purpose built facility dedicated to cyber warfare based at an academy.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is serving as the design lead on Turner Construction’s design-build team. "Our design for Hopper Hall will serve the Naval Academy's mission to equip a new generation of leaders with the knowledge and resources to protect the nation against 21st-century threats," says Roger Duffy, Design Partner at SOM, in a press release.

The building has been designed for a triangular waterfront site that will reinforce the Naval Academy campus’ connection to the waterfront with clear sightlines through the building. Hopper Hall will include classrooms, teaching and research laboratories, offices, multi-purpose space, an observatory, and a research and testing tank. “The Bridge” will be a central hub and gathering space where all activities taking place in the building will converge.

Once complete, Hopper Hall will become the first new academic building built on the Naval Academy’s campus since 1975.