This research and teaching laboratory with support spaces for programs in Chemistry, Fresh Water Research, and Biology emphasizes healthy and productive work environments. The 50-foot wide lab building provides the opportunity for daylight to spill into the research and teaching laboratories.

Teaching labs are located along the main pedestrian path of the building. Support spaces are communal and happen near the intersection of research and teaching labs. Research labs are defined by a single corridor down the middle. The new facility provides space for 16 undergraduate instructional laboratories for 2100 students and an additional 16 research laboratories for faculty and post doctoral researchers.

The two-story space at the intersection of the research and teaching labs serves as an interaction space for students, faculty, and staff. The space is marked with a 40-foot high light collecting element. A “picture” window opposite the element looks toward Duluth and Lake Superior as well as the new outdoor water resources research classroom.

Sustainable and native materials are used including brick, stone and wood. An engineered wetland provides a “front yard” for the building and laboratory for wild rice research. An Art in Architecture sculpture by John David Mooney sits on the front lawn.

Project Information
Building Owner:		University of Minnesota
Building Location:		Duluth, Minnesota UNITED STATES
Project Type:		New Construction
Principal Building Function:		Teaching and research science building
Project Delivery Method:		General Contractor
Project Timeline		Aug 2001 Planning Start Oct 2001 Design Start Mar 2003 Construction Start Jun 2005 Completion Last known status: Completed
Project Cost:		$27,300,000
Construction Cost:		$25,451,000
Cost Per Sq. Ft:		$254
		About These Cost Figures
Building Information
Project Includes:		Atrium Biology Chemistry Education Laboratory: Teaching
Total GSF:		100,450
Project Team
Engineer - MEP		Affiliated Engineers Inc. (AEI)
Profile Created 08/22/2007
Last Updated 10/12/2007
About the Reported Cost Figures The cost figures reported are supplied by the firms that submitted these projects for publication, which in most cases are the designers or builders. Whereas these sources are intimately familiar with their projects, they may not be fully aware of the owners' finally-realized and recorded costs. In some cases, costs are truly and completely accounted for, and in others they represent a near approximation of the final costs. Costs have not been adjusted for year of construction, nor has any attempt been made to make regional cost adjustments. Further, costs are not comparable on any kind of detailed standard costing model. Hence, it is possible for the cost of one building to include a steam boiler, while the cost of a comparable building might not include the boiler, if steam is being supplied from an already existing campus grid. Or, in another case, a building might include excess boiler capacity to supply steam to another building. Some submittals include fees or unusual site improvements as part of the construction costs, which others do not.