New three-dimensional cladding curves around the Event Center at College of the Desert’s Palm Springs Campus, creating a distinctive pattern of light and shadow at the corner of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Farrell Drive.

Palm Springs Campus Takes on a Distinctive New Look

People traveling past the College of the Desert Palm Springs Campus at Tahquitz Canyon Way and Farrell Drive are seeing one of the project’s most striking design features take shape.

The curved building at this prominent corner is the campus Event Center. Newly installed three-dimensional architectural cladding now wraps much of the building, creating a changing pattern of light and shadow throughout the day—and drawing attention from neighbors and passersby.

The Event Center is being designed as a flexible gathering place for College programs and events, educational activities, community events and industry-connected learning. Its location gives it a highly visible presence while helping create a welcoming public face for the campus.

The distinctive façade is not simply a decorative finish. It reflects the design vision established for the campus from the beginning: a contemporary response to Palm Springs’ modernist legacy and the desert environment. Across the campus, clean lines, sculptural forms, generous shade, mountain views and strong indoor-outdoor connections are being combined with high-performance materials, onsite solar energy and other sustainability features.

It is one part of a larger vision in which architecture, sustainability and learning work together—a campus designed specifically for Palm Springs.

A community like no place else deserves a campus like no other.

See a drone's-eye-view of the project: Construction progress flyover, July 21, 2026

Construction Update

Construction is progressing across the 27-acre campus as the project moves from major structural work into building enclosure, interior construction and installation of the systems and specialized equipment that will support students and the community.

Current and upcoming work includes:

• Completing roofing, glass and exterior finishes across the campus buildings.
• Continuing interior construction in classrooms, laboratories, offices and student-support areas.
• Building out film and television studios, recording spaces, screening rooms and other specialized media environments.
• Advancing teaching kitchens, the demonstration kitchen and theater, food-service systems and other Culinary Institute spaces.
• Installing mechanical, electrical, technology and audiovisual infrastructure.
• Advancing rooftop solar installations and the all-electric central plant.
• Continuing parking, roadway, sidewalk, utility and landscaping improvements.

Permanent electrical power is targeted for several campus buildings this fall. The Event Center is scheduled to become substantially enclosed and weather-tight later in 2026, followed by continued interior construction, equipment installation, testing and commissioning.

These are important steps, but the campus remains an active construction site with significant work still ahead. College of the Desert’s Palm Springs Campus is targeted to open in Fall 2027.

For additional information, construction images and project updates, visit www.codpscampus.org

College of the Desert Palm Springs Campus Update (July 31, 2026)

New Digital Message Board at College of the Desert's Palm Springs Campus

The message board was recently installed, and COD is currently in a testing and adjustment period. We understand that nearby residents may experience the sign differently than people who drive by or view it from farther away. We are taking the concerns seriously, especially those related to brightness, hours of operation, visibility from nearby homes and apartments, and potential light impacts.

The purpose of the message board is to share campus information, student services, public events, safety messages, and community updates. It is not intended to create a nuisance or add unnecessary impacts to the surrounding neighborhood.

COD has already set the board to operate only during daylight hours and will continue to review the board settings, observe the sign from nearby residential viewpoints, and make reasonable adjustments where needed. We also welcome specific feedback from nearby residents about what they are experiencing, including time of day, location, brightness, glare, or visibility concerns.

The Palm Springs campus is being built to serve the community, and being a good neighbor is part of that responsibility. We appreciate the opportunity to listen, respond, and make adjustments as the campus continues to come online.

College of the Desert officials present Palm Springs Campus Update to City Council, July 9, 2025

Presentation included scheduling updates and upcoming events/milestones. See the College of the Desert Palm Springs Campus Update to City Council, 7/9/25

More information can be found at COD's Capital Projects Update webpage.

GROUNDBREAKING FOR COLLEGE OF THE DESERT'S PALM SPRINGS CAMPUS

A groundbreaking ceremony for College of Desert's Palm Springs Campus was held on the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The well-attended, long-awaited milestone moment included speeches by City of Palm Springs Mayor Jeffery Bernstein, COD Trustee Ron Oden, and COD President/Superintendent Laura Hope. Construction will begin soon, and the new campus is slated to open in 2027.