Collaboration

The University of Michigan will begin construction in late 2023 on a $141 million building for the College of Pharmacy in Ann Arbor. Collocating functions previously dispersed in seven separate locations, the 142,000-gsf teaching and research facility will provide active learning classrooms, laboratories, support spaces, faculty and administrative offices, and a student services suite. With a range of settings for group and individual study, the highly collaborative project will include open community areas for informal interaction and exchange.

Northeastern University opened the $300 million EXP building in September of 2023 in Boston. Featuring a 15,000-sf maker space, the 357,000-sf facility offers active learning environments, teaching and research labs, executive offices, a faculty club, and a café. A range of meeting and collaboration venues will catalyze interdisciplinary discovery and exchange.

Virginia Tech is planning to construct a $292 million engineering building in the North Academic District in Blacksburg. Replacing an existing structure, Mitchell Hall will act as a centralized hub for several departments including mechanical, chemical, computer, and aerospace and ocean engineering. The five-story, 285,500-gsf development was designed by Perkins&Will to foster experiential learning with student collaboration spaces on every level.

Miami University dedicated the $96 million Clinical Health Sciences and Wellness Building in September of 2023 in Oxford, Ohio. The three-story, 165,000-sf complex strategically collocates programs in nursing, physician associate studies, and speech pathology and audiology to enhance interprofessional exchange and discovery. Designed by BSA LifeStructures, the transdisciplinary facility comprises three linked volumes. The north wing houses classrooms, teaching labs, a fitness studio, and the Office of Student Wellness.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began construction in September of 2023 on the $240 million Energy and Minerals Research Facility in Golden, Colo. Sited on the campus of the Colorado School of Mines, the 190,000-sf building will enable 250 USGS researchers to work side-by-side with 68 of the university's investigators and 150 students. This collaborative nexus for applied geosciences will include state-of-the-art laboratories, faculty offices, graduate student workstations, a classroom, and a café.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa opened the $70 million Residences for Innovative Student Entrepreneurs (RISE) in August of 2023 in Honolulu. Leveraging the power of interdisciplinary collaboration to promote new venture success, the 117,000-sf building features a 7,263-sf multipurpose venue with a maker lab for prototyping and design. The six-story structure also offers co-working zones, meeting areas, and a classroom. On the upper floors, a 219-unit dormitory provides 374 beds for undergraduate and graduate students from across the UH System.

Ground was officially broken in July of 2023 on the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre (ASEC) in Moncton, New Brunswick. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects in association with EXP, the CAD$350 million project will transform the existing Gulf Fisheries Centre into a four-story complex equipped with modern laboratories and technologies.

The University of Texas at Dallas and UT Southwestern opened the $120 million Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Building in August of 2023. Located on the east campus of UT Southwestern Medical Center, the 150,000-sf facility accommodates innovative research programs in artificial intelligence, robotics, and molecular and genetic engineering. The five-story structure provides state-of-the-art wet labs, dry labs, and collaboration spaces where multidisciplinary teams will discover new medical solutions and technologies.

The University of Arkansas broke ground in August of 2023 on the $36 million Multi-User Silicon Carbide Research and Fabrication Facility (MUSiC) in Fayetteville. Located in the Arkansas Research and Technology Park, the 18,660-sf building will produce microelectronic chips made with silicon carbide, a powerful semiconductor that outperforms basic silicon in several critical ways.

Ancora L&G began construction in August of 2023 on a $195 million life sciences center in Providence that will provide 80,000 sf of world-class research space for the Rhode Island Department of Health. Occupying the entirety of the second and third floors, the new state health lab will feature BSL-3 suites for the detection and mitigation of infectious disease agents and environmental hazards.

Austin Peay State University broke ground in August of 2023 on the $65 Health Professions Building in Clarksville, Tenn. Designed by Hastings Architecture and Ayers Saint Gross, the 114,600-sf facility will provide a dynamic mix of instructional venues supporting both lecture-based and active learning modalities. Featuring leading-edge simulation suites, the three-story structure will include teaching and research labs, collaboration spaces, study areas, a community clinic, and administrative and faculty offices.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham broke ground in July of 2023 on the $84 million Frances and Miller Gorrie Hall. Housing the School of Engineering, the 116,000-sf facility will enable a progressive pedagogy that blends academic instruction with hands-on learning and industry experience. With a welcoming commons opening onto an outdoor patio, the vibrant structure will provide flexible teaching and research labs, a design and prototyping lab, and a 2,000-sf materials testing lab.

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is constructing the $75 million Research and Education Institute on its existing hospital campus in Sarasota, Fla. The 80,000-sf facility will provide leading-edge environments for basic and clinical research where physicians and investigators can engage in collaborative discovery. Featuring a state-of-the-art simulation center, the five-story structure will also accommodate instructional spaces for graduate medical programs, nursing courses, and associated training activities.

Pennsylvania State University is constructing the $128 million Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building on the University Park campus. Designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, the 143,000-sf facility will collocate the departments of anthropology, political science, and sociology and criminology, as well as housing the School of Public Policy, the School of International Affairs, and the Population Research Institute. The first floor will feature undergraduate instructional spaces, collaboration venues, and areas for group and individual study.

McCord Development is planning to construct BioHub Two in northeast Houston. Comprising 500,000 sf of lab, office, and cGMP manufacturing space, the 45-acre campus will accommodate a total of seven structures offering built-to-suit environments for private companies. This dynamic nexus of innovation and discovery will catalyze synergies with San Jacinto College's planned Biotech Training Center, which will be located nearby.