Higher Education

Carnegie Mellon University broke ground in early 2024 on the $252 million Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences in Pittsburgh. Designed by ZGF Architects and R3A Architecture, the 338,900-sf complex will advance a new era of data-driven research, cross-disciplinary education, and creative expression. The transformative development will collocate the College of Science and the School of Computer Science with the Institute for Contemporary Art Pittsburgh in a prominent city intersection to foster connections with the local community.

The University of Maryland dedicated the $132 million Chemistry Building in College Park in April of 2024. The 105,000-sf facility features 34 modular laboratories for research programs in molecular nanoscience, quantum chemistry, advanced materials, energy storage, and drug discovery and delivery. Featuring robust climate controls and vibration mitigation technologies, the six-story structure houses two core facilities, 12 meeting and huddle rooms, open office environments, and 13,000 sf of collaboration space.

The most accurate prediction about the future of science is that it cannot be predicted, especially when it comes to laboratory facilities that support higher education, research, and manufacturing. Attention to these seven key considerations can help futureproof laboratory facilities: floor-to-floor height, utility distribution strategy, exterior research space, specialized environments, hazardous components, structural considerations, and engineering criteria.

Data from recent studies analyzing space utilization at colleges and universities across the country indicates a post-pandemic shift toward supporting hybrid education models that blend remote learning with in-person instruction. The studies were designed to analyze the impact of technology-intensive hybrid and experiential learning modalities on higher education while identifying key considerations, best practices, and metrics that can help space planners create more efficient, flexible environments that meet the needs of today’s students, faculty, and staff. Notably, in addition to an increased acceptance of remote learning, students and faculty also desire a return to in-person learning. This dichotomy is driving institutions to adapt hybrid education models that combine online education with active-learning classrooms that require sophisticated IT infrastructure and casual social environments that facilitate informal learning and collaboration.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology dedicated the new home of the Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing in Cambridge in April of 2024. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed Building 45 as a dynamic campus crossroads where diverse groups can connect and engage in shared discovery. The eight-story, 178,000-sf facility offers sophisticated research environments for the study of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Baylor College of Medicine is constructing the $260 million Lillie and Roy Cullen Tower in Houston. The 503,000-sf facility will strategically collocate the School of Medicine and the School of Health Professions next to the Texas Medical Center’s Helix Park. The technology-rich building will feature studio classrooms, lecture halls, teaching labs, and an expansive atrium that can function as a 500-seat auditorium.

Case Western Reserve University will break ground in May of 2024 on the $300 million Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building in Cleveland. Designed by HGA and Van Auken Akins Architects, the 189,000-sf facility will house the School of Engineering and provide additional capacity for the College of Arts and Sciences. Flexible research labs will be complemented by dedicated technical suites for the discovery of new medical treatments, energy solutions, and sustainable manufacturing modalities.

Northwestern University began construction in April of 2024 on an interior renovation of the Donald P. Jacobs Center in Evanston, Ill. Designed by William Rawn Associates and Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects, the transformed facility will act as a beacon of innovation in the social sciences where tomorrow’s leaders will explore new solutions to pressing global challenges. The existing 340,000-sf structure most recently housed the Kellogg School of Management and was built in phases between 1972 and 2001.

Iowa State University opened the first phase of the new Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in March of 2024. Located on the College of Veterinary Medicine campus in Ames, the 90,000-sf building houses essential infrastructure for sample receiving, pathology, bacteriology, necropsy, and histopathology. Strang provided integrated design services for the $75 million project, which leverages effective and efficient process flows to support an extremely high volume of testing.

Florida Polytechnic University broke ground in April of 2024 on the Gary C. Wendt Engineering Building in Lakeland. Designed by DLR Group, the $15 million facility is envisioned as a vibrant social hub where innovation converges with education. The 40,000-sf facility will offer four multidisciplinary labs where students can engage in hands-on learning, making, and research. Featuring raw materials and exposed structural elements, the two-story development will include an atrium, a conference room, collaboration spaces, and an office suite.

The University of Miami Health System is constructing the $250 million Kenneth C. Griffin Cancer Research Building in Miami. Designed by HOK, the 244,000-sf structure will provide the Miller School of Medicine with flexible laboratories where multidisciplinary teams will discover new modalities for cancer treatment and prevention. The collaborative facility will leverage advanced instrumentation and the latest machine learning technologies to accelerate the translation of scientific breakthroughs into life-saving therapies.

Georgia Tech broke ground in March of 2024 on the Thomas A. Fanning Student-Athlete Performance Center in Atlanta. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative, the 100,000-sf sports science facility will accommodate strength and conditioning areas, a nutrition center, and clinical settings for both physical and mental health services. A motion-capture lab with advanced instrumentation will feed into an in-house data analytics office.

Virginia Commonwealth University broke ground in April of 2024 on the $253 million CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation in Richmond. Designed by William Rawn Associates and Glavé & Holmes Architecture, the 213,000-sf facility will feature flexible classrooms, interdisciplinary performance venues, maker spaces, and an expansive atrium with an interactive staircase.

The University of California is planning to construct the $300 million Medical Education Building in Merced. Designed by ZGF Architects, the 203,500-sf project will serve as the headquarters for a multicampus career pathway developed in partnership with UC San Francisco and UCSF Fresno. The four-story structure will provide class laboratories, specialized learning venues, general assignment classrooms, clinical practicum spaces, research labs, offices, and a café.

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory will break ground in summer of 2024 on a 68,000-sf research facility at the Forrestal campus in Plainsboro. Designed by SmithGroup, the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center will offer laboratories of various sizes where PPPL investigators will engage in shared discovery with academic and industry partners. Open meeting venues with whiteboards will encourage the spontaneous exchange of ideas, and collaboration spaces equipped with advanced technologies will support interaction with remote participants.