The Annenberg School for Communication building has been undergoing a series of renovations since 2024. The project aims to modernize its design and technology while maintaining its original architecture.

The Annenberg Foundation granted Annenberg $10 million in 2023 for the project, launching a capital campaign to “transform the signature spaces” in the ASC building, the Annenberg school wrote. This included its auditorium, second-floor terrace, east and west lobbies and the classrooms.

The most recent development was the completion of the east lobby’s renovation in August 2026. The project kicked off the day after the 2026 USC commencement.

Suzanne Alcantara, associate dean of student affairs and director of career development at Annenberg, played a large role in designing the fundamentals of the new space. She said she noticed how having a more community-oriented space allowed her to foster more frequent engagement with students.

“[Annenberg] has about 2,500 students total… but situated in such a large university…if you are spending a fair amount of time here, which your classes will allow you to, you will run into people you know all the time,” Alcantara said. “There’s going to be an even greater opportunity to run into classmates.”

In its original form, the ASC building was intended to house only 100 people when it opened in 1976. Designed by A. Quincy Jones, its foundation was built with versatility and advancement in mind. As the school expanded over time, more collaborative and efficient spaces within the building became a priority of Annenberg’s leadership.

James Vasquez, associate dean of operations and strategy at Annenberg, said that the renovation was approached with recognition of the original design, while adding more contemporary technology.

“Over the course of time, the school expanded with more faculty, students and staff, so the school had to start making adjustments to the physical plan,” Vasquez said. “At that point, [we looked] at our existing spaces and [renovated] them into more collaborative locations…to more efficiently use them…We [used to] call [ASC] a ‘pass-through,’ [so] what we wanted to do is turn it back into a community space that anybody can pop into.”

The ASC renovations reflect the environment of Wallis Annenberg Hall, with style elements such as a stage for Annenberg events, wall-width screens and natural lighting, Vasquez added.

Christina Kharrat, a sophomore majoring in communication, noticed how the new renovations have created a more active and collaborative environment.

“I love ‘New Annenberg,’ but it is always busy, so having more places to study is always a plus,” said Kharrat. “I would never see people just in the lobby [of ASC]; it was just a place to get to your class. Now, people can actually stay and do whatever they need to do, and it’s really nice.”