Research Facilities Design (RFD)

San Diego State University opened the Sciences and Engineering Laboratories in August of 2025 on the Imperial Valley campus in Brawley, Calif. Spanning 37,000 sf, the flexible structure houses teaching labs, interdisciplinary lecture spaces, specialized environments for research, core facilities, and 45 faculty and administrative offices. A STEM innovation hub is augmented by collaborative venues for public and private partners to work side by side with faculty and students.

Cornell University celebrated the opening of Atkinson Hall in April of 2025 in Ithaca, N.Y. Designed by Lake|Flato and SWBR as a nexus for impact-driven research across disciplinary boundaries, the $54 million facility addresses the diverse needs of four unique programs, all of which are university-wide in scope.

Fresno City College opened the $87 million Science Building in March of 2025 to expand instructional capacity for students seeking to enter in-demand STEM professions. Designed by Lionakis, with RFD as the laboratory consultant, the 87,000-sf facility provides technology-enabled laboratories and instructional venues for courses in chemistry, biology, physics, and engineering. The three-story structure features a maker space sponsored by Chevron, flexible study environments, and tutoring areas.

Denver University is planning to construct the STEM Horizons building to expand and accelerate vital research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Designed by Anderson Mason Dale with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the six-story structure will provide 87,000 sf of new and renovated space for hands-on learning, research, business incubation, and community partnerships.

California State University San Marcos is planning to construct the Integrated Science and Engineering (IS&E) building to drive innovation and growth in advanced technology and the life sciences. The 70,000-gsf structure will house the College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics’ growing programs in electrical engineering, computer science, systems engineering, and software engineering.