AZPM's Baker Center Design and Construction Team Honored with Prestigious Cornerstone Award
Arizona Public Media (AZPM) is proud to announce that the design-build and construction team behind the Paul and Alice Baker Center for Public Media, led by DPR Construction, SmithGroup, Swaim Associates, Russ Berger Design Group, and the University of Arizona Planning, Design & Construction Department, has been named the Cornerstone Awards Project Team of the Year, one of Southern Arizona's most prestigious honors recognizing excellence in architecture, engineering, and construction.
Founded in 1994 by Robert Hershberger, FAIA, then dean of the University of Arizona College of Architecture, the Cornerstone Building Foundation celebrates outstanding collaboration and craftsmanship across the region. Members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Arizona Builders Alliance (ABA), National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), and Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) nominate peers whose work exemplifies industry leadership. Winners were announced at the Cornerstone Foundation Annual Dinner in Tucson on November 11.
This year's award recognizes the exceptional partnership that brought the Baker Center for Public Media to life – a defining milestone in AZPM's 66-year history. With construction now substantially complete, the state-of-the-art facility will soon support AZPM's television, radio, and digital operations for decades to come while also offering professional services for public and commercial productions. Located at the University of Arizona Tech Park at The Bridges, the Baker Center features advanced broadcast studios, an audio performance space, a flexible community studio, and podcast production suites designed for local content creators. A digital conference center and rooftop deck provide versatile spaces for collaboration, education, and community engagement.
“This building represents a new era for public media in Southern Arizona,” said Jack Gibson, AZPM Chief Executive Officer. “The Baker Center was built with the community in mind—not just as a broadcast headquarters, but as a place where ideas, creativity, and connection come together.” For more than half a century, AZPM operated from the basement of the University of Arizona's Modern Languages Building. Today, with three television services, four radio services, and a rapidly growing digital portfolio, the Baker Center provides both the infrastructure and the inspiration to meet the evolving needs of audiences across the region.
The Baker Center is a 100% donor-funded project, made possible entirely through the generosity of community members who share AZPM's commitment to trusted journalism, educational programming, and meaningful public service.