Collaboration

The University of North Dakota is building the $15.5 million Collaborative Energy Center in Grand Forks. Ground was broken in July of 2015 on the 37,000-sf facility, which will serve as a headquarters for all energy-related programs within the College of Engineering & Mines, including the Institute for Energy Studies. Providing advanced laboratories and multipurpose teaching venues, the project will support interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation among students, faculty, and industry partners.

The University of Central Florida is planning to build the $30 million Interdisciplinary Research and Incubator facility in Orlando. The first phase of construction will create a three-story, 67,000-sf building providing 31 research and incubator suites, many of which will include wet lab space. The multidisciplinary facility will house offices, lecture halls, and conference rooms, and will be used by researchers from the University as well as offering leased space for industry partners.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory opened the $59 million Chu Hall in September of 2015. Designed by SmithGroupJJR of San Francisco, the three-story, 39,000-sf facility will support research on electrochemical and photovoltaic solar energy technologies. Chu Hall houses the administrative offices of the Kavli Energy NanoSciences Institute as well as the northern branch of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, a laboratory created in partnership with the California Institute of Technology and funded by the Department of Energy.

Diverse projects in New York, New Jersey, and Maryland demonstrate that integrating flexible infrastructure, collaborative work styles, daylight, and sustainability all contribute to a “health-positive” scientific research environment, a concept derived from neurological and behavioral research indicating that access to natural light and human interaction improve well-being and productivity.

Carthage College opened the renovated and expanded Center for the Natural and Social Sciences in September of 2015 in Kenosha, Wis. Designed by Stantec, the $43 million project included construction of a 35,000-sf wing and renovation of the existing 70,000-sf facility. The interdisciplinary center features TEAL (Technology Enhanced Active Learning) classrooms and 12 teaching labs for programs in materials science, nanotechnology, engineering design, molecular biology, and atomic microscopy.

Scripps Research Institute is planning to construct a new 147,000-sf laboratory complex in La Jolla, Calif. Supporting the consolidation of research space to promote interaction and collaboration, the project will provide a 12,000-sf NMR suite and advanced laboratories for the study of immunology, structural biology, neuroscience, and global health. Occupancy is expected in 2019.

The University of Idaho is building the $49 million Integrated Research and Innovation Center (IRIC) on its Moscow campus. Designed by NBBJ, the 69,000-sf interdisciplinary research facility will provide flexible laboratory, office, and meeting space that can be adapted for use by faculty, staff, and student researchers from across the university. The building will feature a state-of-the-art visualization laboratory, core research space, and video conferencing suites.

Sacred Heart University broke ground in September of 2015 on the $45 million Center of Healthcare Education in Bridgeport, Conn.

Grand Valley State University dedicated the $55 million P. Douglas Kindschi Hall of Science in August of 2015 in Allendale, Mich. The four-story, 152,000-sf facility provides 15 teaching labs, 14 research labs, nine classrooms, conference rooms, study areas, a computational lab, and a 3,000-sf greenhouse. Research Facilities Design was the laboratory design consultant for the facility, which features interactive labs supporting a shared functionality in which faculty and students can engage in collaborative projects.

A new master space plan for the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Natural Sciences leverages program adjacencies and shared infrastructure to improve collaborative interdisciplinary research while maximizing space use. This “soft growth” renovation approach allows the college to increase capacity and improve efficiency without demolishing or adding new buildings.

George Mason University is building a $73 million health sciences facility in Fairfax, Va. Housing the College of Health and Human Services, the 160,000-sf building will include clinical space, teaching labs, and a kitchen for programs in nutritional science. The facility will support a team-based model of healthcare with professionals from different disciplines collaborating in patient diagnosis and treatment. Ground was broken on the project in summer of 2015 with completion expected in 2017.

Belmont College opened its $10 million Health Sciences Center in August of 2015 in St. Clairsville, Ohio. The 27,648-sf project will provide collaborative, technology-rich instructional spaces including a SMART 360 classroom, simulation training suites, and labs for biology, anatomy, and chemistry. Accommodating programs in Allied Health, the facility will house three general-purpose classrooms, faculty offices, and a student commons.

The College of New Jersey is planning to build a facility for STEM education in Ewing to support programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Designed by EYP Architecture & Engineering, the 89,000-sf project will feature collaborative research suites for biomedical engineering and computer science, as well as labs for physiology, robotics, system dynamics, and thermo-fluids. The facility will include a high-performance computing cluster, a mechanical engineering design studio, and a metal fabrication and assembly workshop.

Clayton State University opened its $18 million Science Building in August of 2015 in Morrow, Ga. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative, the 58,610-sf facility provides eight research labs, eight teaching labs, two 64-seat classrooms, two 36-seat classrooms, and two seminar rooms. The three-story building houses stacked biology and chemistry suites, each integrating research, prep, and teaching space.

Stephen F. Austin State University has selected Kirksey Architecture of Houston to design a $46.4 million STEM building in Nacogdoches, Texas. The collaborative learning facility will accommodate programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The construction manager for the project is J.E. Kingham Construction Company.