Carnegie Mellon University Breaks Ground on Robotics Innovation Center

Carnegie Mellon University broke ground in December of 2023 on the $100 million Robotics Innovation Center in Pittsburgh. Designed by Perkins Eastman, the three-story, 150,000-sf facility will feature reconfigurable high-bay labs and flexible R&D venues that address robotic systems at different scales. Open wet labs will allow interdisciplinary teams to engage in group projects, supported by a range of specialized shops and instrumentation suites. Approximately 50,000 sf of indoor testing space will be accompanied by a 1.5-acre outdoor environment with a 6,000-sf drone cage. Public viewing areas will foster community involvement while the building’s glazed façade offers inspiring glimpses of the activities occurring within.

Created in collaboration with developer Tishman Speyer and The Almono Limited Partnership, the project involves the transformation of a brownfield site at Hazelwood Green into a state-of-the-art research hub that will complement the operations of CMU’s Manufacturing Futures Institute. The sustainably designed structure is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification and will incorporate a building envelope with an optimized window-to-wall ratio for enhanced energy performance. Slated for completion in summer of 2025, the Robotics Innovation Center is being built by a joint venture of Gilbane and Mosites.