Morgridge Hall, the new home of Computer Sciences, is more than a building–it is a promise. A promise to the students who will shape the next generation of technology and society. A promise to the researchers tackling challenges that transcend disciplines and borders. A promise to Wisconsin that the benefits of the digital age will be shared widely and wisely.
Standing seven stories tall and spanning 343,000 square feet, Morgridge Hall brings the disciplines in the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS) under one roof for the first time. Within its daylight-filled atrium–known as The Heart–three interconnected ecosystems flourish: a Learning Ecosystem that redefines classrooms as collaborative laboratories, a Student Ecosystem that nurtures leadership and community, and a Research Ecosystem where breakthroughs in computing, data, and information sciences are born.
It’s here that scholars in the Computer Sciences Department, Statistics Department, the Information School, the Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, the Data Science Institute, the Center for High Throughput Computing, and other campus partners will share space, ideas, and opportunities. Together, they will drive forward the research, teaching, and outreach that define UW-Madison’s mission.
From flexible research labs designed to evolve with emerging fields, to the Rebecca M. Blank Student Commons where peers teach peers, every space is human-centered and future-focused. It’s a place where intellectual exchanges lead to bold ideas, where public art tells Wisconsin’s story, and where biophilic design brings the calm and inspiration of nature into everyday campus life.
Built entirely through private philanthropy, the $267 million facility was made possible through visionary philanthropists John and Tashia Morgridge who contributed $140 million, including a $50 million challenge grant that inspired gifts from additional donors. This LEED Platinum-targeted building stands as the most sustainable academic facility on campus, blending environmental stewardship with cultural and social sustainability. Morgridge Hall is designed not only for today’s needs, but to adapt for decades of innovation ahead.
A Launchpad for Student Success
CDIS is UW-Madison’s fastest-growing academic unit, with enrollment more than doubling from just over 3,000 students in 2019 to more than 6,300 today. The school is home to the university’s two largest majors (Computer Science, the largest major, followed by Data Science, already the second-largest after it was created in 2020, alongside rapidly growing programs in Information Science). Morgridge Hall was designed to meet this growth while setting a new standard for the student experience, ensuring students have the environment, mentorship, and interdisciplinary opportunities they need to thrive in a rapidly changing job market.
The new building provides classroom space for over 1,000 students at a time, along with a student ecosystem on the second floor that anchors that experience. The Rebecca M. Blank Student Commons offers a welcoming hub for learning support, advising, and collaboration, complemented by a curated library collection that directly supports CDIS coursework. The Phill & Liz Gross Learning Center provides academic support from experienced TAs and instructors, while the student organization suite gives student groups a home for events, workshops, and community-building.
The building’s design encourages connection across disciplines and programs. Informal gathering areas, outdoor terraces, and glass-walled study spaces ensure students can work together in environments that inspire creativity. These spaces are not just for CDIS students–Morgridge Hall is open to the entire UW-Madison community, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration at every turn.
A Catalyst for Research Discovery
The research ecosystem, spanning floors 3-7, brings together experts from across disciplines in space designed to spark collaboration. Here, computer scientists, statisticians, biostatisticians, and information scientists work side-by-side, sharing expertise to address complex challenges like artificial intelligence, climate modeling, healthcare analytics, and next-gen computing infrastructure. Labs and offices weave around The Heart, encouraging serendipitous encounters, innovative collaborations, and creative project ideas. The WARF Centennial Seminar Hub on the top floor offers an inspiring space with sweeping campus views where faculty, students, and visiting experts will present their work, sparking collaborations that extend far beyond campus.
“Morgridge Hall enables us to remain a world leader in research across our departments while forging new collaborations that leverage computing technologies, advanced data analysis, and key insights from information science—all for the betterment of individuals and society,” said CDIS Director Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau.
Vision, Leadership, and Philanthropy
Morgridge Hall is the result of years of planning, collaboration, and generosity from alumni, campus partners, and donors.
“From the beginning, Morgridge Hall was designed to be a hub for collaborative innovation,” said Tom Erickson, founding director of CDIS, who stepped down in early 2025 after playing an instrumental role in the conception and development of Morgridge Hall. “This world-class facility will serve as a beacon of learning and discovery for campus and the state of Wisconsin for generations to come.”
Today, under the leadership of CDIS Director Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau, the school is poised to realize the building’s full potential–bringing together students, researchers, and industry partners to shape the future of computing, data, and information sciences in Wisconsin and beyond.
A New Campus hub
Centrally located on the University Avenue corridor near Engineering and between the Discovery Building and Chemistry department, Morgridge Hall will welcome everyone from students passing through on their way to class to faculty and staff in need of a cup of coffee, a snack, or a light-filled space to sit and read.
The design of the building blends inspiration and function and reflects Wisconsin itself. Elements like outdoor terraces, native plants, and Wisconsin-inspired art make the space warm and inviting while integrating the building seamlessly into the surrounding campus. Students of all majors can find study space in the Commons, the first-floor cafe, several outdoor terraces or even a 7th-floor laptop bar with views down through the building’s heart and up through its dramatic skylight.
Sustainability at the Core
Morgridge Hall is expected to use about 50% less energy and water compared to common benchmarks, thanks to thoughtful design that reduces energy loss and makes heating and cooling more efficient. The building also incorporates rooftop solar panels, stormwater capture systems, and extensive green roof and planted areas designed to minimize environmental impacts, including energy and water usage. With these efforts, Morgridge Hall is targeting LEED Platinum certification, making it a model for environmentally responsible architecture at UW–Madison, against a backdrop of increasingly significant global environmental impacts.
Shaping Wisconsin’s future
Computing and data skills are now essential across Wisconsin’s economy, from manufacturing and agriculture to biotechnology and healthcare.
The Wisconsin Idea calls for breakthroughs at UW–Madison to benefit every sector of the state, ensuring that technological progress leads to shared prosperity. Morgridge Hall is the place where that vision becomes reality. Students connect with employers through events and experiential learning. Researchers develop solutions that quickly flow from the lab into real-world applications. And entrepreneurship thrives here: students and faculty have the space, resources, and mentorship to turn ideas into innovations that can launch new companies and drive economic growth.
Through these connections, Morgridge Hall is a long-term investment in Wisconsin’s workforce and economic future, generating a steady flow of talent, ideas, and partnerships that strengthen Wisconsin’s position in the global digital economy.
An Enduring Legacy
In the decades to come, the world will change in unpredictable ways. But Morgridge Hall will remain a constant–a place where humanity and technology meet in service of education, discovery, and well-being. Here, students will launch careers, researchers will forge breakthroughs, and Wisconsin will see the benefits of innovation ripple outwards to every community.
Morgridge Hall is a legacy of vision, philanthropy, and purpose–one that will inspire and serve the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the state, and the world.
Story originally posted at https://cdis.wisc.edu/what-morgridge-hall-means-for-cdis-the-university-and-the-state/.