Gensler and Layton To Deliver the Largest Single Multifamily Modular Project in the Nation’s History for 6,000 Trainees at Fort Sam Houston

Together with Layton, Gensler’s design-first approach front loads engineering and manufacturing decisions, condensing years of work into a 24-month build delivering purpose-built housing that supports trainees’ intensive coursework.

SAN FRANCISCO — Gensler, partnered with construction firm Layton, will design and build five new dormitory buildings at the Medical Education and Training Campus on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. The buildings, each spanning ~400,000 square feet, will house 6,000 joint force combat medic students who train at the campus to become medics, respiratory therapists, pharmacy technicians, dental assistants and other allied health professionals.

Gensler, in partnership with Layton, AKA Urban, Interface Engineering, Tetra Tech, OJB, Kimley Horn and Volumetric Building Companies (VBC), will build the dormitories using a factory construction approach, standardizing core building components upfront and manufacturing them offsite as volumetric modules finished to roughly 95% completion before shipping to the site.

“This is a chance to show what industrialized construction can really do at scale by delivering housing our military trainees deserve, faster and smarter, without compromising quality,” said Steven Paynter, Principal at Gensler. “Using a modular approach forces real design discipline; every unit has to be right the first time, long before it reaches the site. We’ve designed and engineered every component before a single foundation is poured, so speed on-site is really just the payoff of the work we do upfront.”

Standardized, highly repeatable units like dormitory rooms are especially well suited to this method, and because module production can begin before the foundations are complete, crews can stack up to 20 bedrooms per day, per crane, once modules arrive on site. VBC is manufacturing every module for the project, drawing on a nationwide network of American component suppliers supporting U.S. manufacturing while ensuring consistent quality across all five buildings.

“The METC campus is set to be the largest and fastest modular housing build-out in our country’s history — showcasing the power of what’s possible when government uses its purse to make advance market commitments that progress domestic industry,” said Cara Eckholm, founder, AKA Urban. “From the federal government to states and cities, the METC model sets an important precedent for how public agencies can use scale to achieve time and cost reduction in housing production.”

Adopting this strategy is expected to shorten the project’s timeline by approximately 70% compared with conventional construction methods and reduce overall project costs by an estimated 20%, with the team targeting completion within 24 months.

“Every unit that arrives at Fort Sam Houston will have been built in the USA and play a part in revitalizing the domestic manufacturing industry. That’s the part of this project weç're proudest of,” said Vaughan Buckley, founder and CEO, Volumetric Building Companies. “Innovative construction is what allows a program of this size to hold both a 24-month schedule and the quality standard the mission requires.”

“This award reflects the strength of our team’s collaboration and the proven value of this delivery approach,” said Eric Nay, EVP of the National Building Group. “By integrating design and construction from the outset, we can accelerate the building process, provide greater cost certainty, maintain high quality, and deliver a more predictable outcome for JBSA METC.”

The new dormitories replace aging campus housing and will give trainees modern, purpose-built residence halls designed to support their rigorous training schedules.

About Gensler

At Gensler, the value of our work stems from its positive impact on the human experience. We are a dynamic and collaborative design firm uniting creativity, research, and innovation to solve complex problems for our clients. Our work challenges conventional ideas about architecture and the built environment. We aren’t just designing buildings — we are reimagining cities and places that make a difference in people’s lives. Founded in 1965, Gensler has built a team of 6,000 professionals who partner with clients in over 100 countries each year. Everything we do is guided by our mission: to create a better world through the power of design.

About Layton Construction

Layton Construction is a privately held national general contractor, delivering predictable outcomes in commercial construction since 1953. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Layton operates from 16 strategic offices across the United States, employing more than 1,700 construction professionals who serve diverse markets including healthcare, education, commercial office, industrial, hospitality, and multi-unit residential. Founded on the core values of honesty, unity, safety, and quality, Layton has built a reputation for excellence in complex project delivery while maintaining strong partnerships with clients, architects, and trade partners nationwide.

About AKA Urban

AKA Urban is an advisory firm which crafts and launches public-private partnerships to help cities modernize their built environment. In the past two years, AKA has helped structure over $1BN in spending. Projects include working on the Governor's 2025 State of the State, and managing a $500M overhaul of how the U.S. Navy designs and delivers preschools and housing for military families.

About Volumetric Building Companies

Volumetric Building Companies (VBC) is one of the world’s largest permanent steel modular manufacturers. Founded in 2009, VBC has delivered more than 8,000 units across 13 countries, spanning multifamily, student housing, hospitality, and government projects. VBC has built some of the most technically complex modular buildings ever completed, including the tallest modular hotel in the world and the tallest new building in Iceland. The company operates manufacturing campuses in Berwick, Pennsylvania; Tracy, California & Europe.