Each year, AZRE magazine’s RED Awards commemorates the meticulous work accomplished by the teams of companies who shepherd projects of all kinds from initial concept to final delivery. Each category represents the finest the industry has to offer — state-of-the-art education buildings, chic offices spaces, lavish hotels, modern apartments and so much more. Today, take a deeper look at the higher education project of the year finalists.
The 2026 RED Awards will honor finalists and announce winners in 18 categories on Thursday, March 19 at the Embassy Suites Scottsdale. The year’s top developer, general contractor, architecture firm and subcontractor will also be celebrated.
The RED Awards VIP sponsor is Haydon Companies, the spotlight sponsor is Core Construction, the beverage sponsor is DP Electric, the dessert sponsor is Layton Construction, the step and repeat sponsor is Suntec Concrete, the valet sponsor is Stevens-Leinweber Construction, the giveaway sponsor is Willmeng Construction, the 360 photo booth sponsor is Ironmark Building Company and the floral sponsor is Arizona Escrow.
Tickets for the 2026 RED Awards can be found here.
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Here are the finalists for the Higher education and workforce development project category:
West-MEC Career Academy at Agua Fria High School
- General contractor: GCON
- Architect: SPS+ Architects
- Owner: West-MEC
- Subcontractors: Stone Cold Masonry, Progressive Roofing, Hawkeye Electric, Pueblo Mechanical and Controls, Benson Systems
- City: Avondale
- Size: 31,000 square feet
The 31,000-square-foot West-MEC Career Academy at Agua Fria High School was built on a fast-tracked schedule, requiring precision, creativity and coordination. Eighteen separate permits were secured and often built out of sequence to maintain momentum — an approach that demanded collaboration from more than 33 trade partners providing more than 125 workers on site at times. Despite the ambitious pace, the team delivered a student-ready technical campus for the 2025/2026 school year.
The campus comprises four buildings supporting West-MEC’s electrical, welding, heavy diesel and mechanical programs. Each building integrates industry-standard equipment to mirror real-world environments. The welding facility includes advanced exhaust and filtration; the diesel building features extended-height doors for semi-truck access; and the electrical/mechanical building offers custom training labs with high-tech boards and safety systems. Shared student spaces and an administration building featuring an open-ceiling design, sound-mitigating conference room and custom-painted floors enhance the campus experience.
Mohave College Advanced Manufacturing Training Center
- General contractor: CORE Construction
- Architect: DFDG Architects
- Owner: Mohave College
- Subcontractors: Encore Electric, Protek Construction, Colorado River Plumbing, Midstate Mechanical, Jim’s House of Glass
- City: Kingman
- Size: 35,501 square feet
Funded through the Future48 Workforce Accelerator, an economic development initiative of the State of Arizona and the Arizona Commerce Authority, the Mohave College Advanced Manufacturing Training Center (AMTC) was developed to strengthen Arizona’s skilled workforce pipeline by expanding access to advanced manufacturing education beyond major metropolitan areas.
The 36,000-square-foot facility now houses industry-leading programs in workforce readiness, welding, HVAC, robotics, hydraulics and pneumatics, electrical systems, and manufacturing fundamentals. Additional features include a design lab, simulated (SIM) and virtual reality (VR) lab, and a business incubator and maker space. Construction of specialized welding and fabrication labs, with advanced exhaust systems and an overhead crane, required precise coordination to deliver durable, high-performing spaces built for decades of use.
ASU West Academic and Office Building
- General contractor: CORE Construction
- Architect: Todd & Associates
- Owner: Arizona State University
- Subcontractors: Sun Valley Masonry, Pete King Construction, Artcraft Tile & Granite, Kearney Electric & Communications, AZ Verde Fire Protection
- City: Glendale
- Size: 52,314 square feet
Completed as a three-story, 52,314-square-foot LEED Silver facility, the West Academic and Office Building at Arizona State University supports a wide range of general education, data research and interdisciplinary academic programs. Its design is intentionally centered on flexible classroom environments, including computer laboratories, active learning spaces and collaborative project rooms that can adapt to evolving instructional needs. These spaces support modern pedagogy and foster collaboration across disciplines.
A unique feature of the project is its dedicated art gallery, which reinforces ASU’s commitment to creativity and cultural engagement alongside technology and research. This blend of art, data and flexible learning spaces creates a dynamic academic setting that enhances the student experience and broadens the building’s impact beyond traditional classroom use. Strategically located at the center of the West Campus, the facility anchors the west pedestrian mall and directly connects to adjacent student housing, reflecting a coordinated investment in both academic and residential infrastructure.
Paul and Alice Baker Center for Public Media
- Developer: The University of Arizona Department of Planning Design & Construction
- General contractor: DPR Construction
- Architect: SmithGroup
- Owner: Arizona Public Media
- Subcontractors: Parsons Steel Erectors, Blanco Concrete, Sun Mechanical Contracting, Wilson Electric, Global Wall Panel Group
- City: Tucson
- Size: 61,500 square feet
The Paul and Alice Baker Center for Public Media is a 61,500-square-foot facility designed to elevate Arizona Public Media’s work across 11 Arizona counties. This Center replaces aging broadcast infrastructure with stunning design and cutting-edge technology and acoustics, giving AZPM a new home to provide three public television services, four radio services and robust digital platforms.
Designed as a “public square,” the building offers spaces for live performances, broadcast and production, debates and community events. Advanced acoustic treatments and trapezoid-shaped studios ensure world-class recording quality for original programming and content from PBS, NPR and the BBC.
The design-build project had to overcome its share of challenges: hyper-escalation, donor-driven design changes, and complex acoustical requirements with zero repeated spaces. The project team resolved over 1,200 quality issues, completing in-wall inspections and mechanical signoffs rivaling hospital-level complexity. Several late acoustics-driven adjustments were needed, as verifying performance goals — such as a HVAC sound test — required a nearly finished building to complete.
Trevor G. Browne CTE Building Addition
- General contractor: CORE Construction
- Architect: ADM Group
- Owner: Phoenix Union High School District
- City: Phoenix
- Size: 128,707 square feet
Serving nearly 3,000 students annually, the Trevor G. Browne High School campus required modernized facilities that improve functionality and student experience while accommodating ongoing campus operations throughout construction.
The new two-story classroom and administration building, including a state-of-the-art CTE wing, delivers critical academic and career-focused opportunities to a community in need. Serving high school students ready to take the next step in their education and careers, the CTE spaces provide hands-on training and teaching aligned with real-world industry standards, preparing students for college, technical pathways or immediate workforce entry.
