Collaboration

The Novartis headquarters in Sydney, Australia, demonstrates how to create a multi-tenant space where employees at all levels can choose their work setting depending on their activities, as long as there is abundant space for collaboration and informal interaction across all sectors. To create appeal for Novartis employees and attract new tenants, the redesigned floor plan offers several options for activity-based workspace, and has multi-purpose furnishings, demountable walls for offices and meetings rooms, and cast-in-place conduits for data and power in the slab with floor boxes.

Duke University began construction in March of 2017 on a $115 million facility for the Pratt School of Engineering. Designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, the five-story, 150,000-gsf (88,000-nsf) building will feature two floors focused on active student learning, offering classrooms, teaching and design labs, a 200-seat auditorium, a Learning Commons, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the Center for Energy, Engineering and Environment.

The University of Reading began construction in March of 2017 on the £55 million Health and Life Sciences Building in the United Kingdom. Located on the Whiteknights campus in Reading, the four-story, 81,000-sf project will provide two floors dedicated to wet and dry research, as well as teaching labs, seminar rooms, classrooms, offices, and the Cole Museum of Zoology.

Concordia University of Nebraska will break ground in April of 2018 on the $24.5 million Dunklau Center for Science, Math and Business in Seward. Comprising 58,000 sf of new construction and 28,000 sf of renovated space, the 86,000-sf project will accommodate programs in biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, computer science, mathematics, and business.

NextCorps opened an entrepreneurship hub in Rochester in February of 2018. Located in the Sibley Square building, the project was created by the University of Rochester, the state of New York, and the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

The University of Minnesota broke ground in February of 2018 on the $109 million Health Sciences Education Center in Minneapolis. Designed by Perkins+Will and The S/L/A/M Collaborative to support interprofessional education, the project includes the creation of a new 142,100-sf facility and renovation of 52,000 sf of existing space.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will begin construction in mid-2018 on a $412 research and innovation hub on its existing campus in Memphis, Tenn. Designed by The Crump Firm and Jacobs Engineering to foster interaction, the seven-story, 625,000-sf facility will feature open laboratories with glass walls offering ample natural light.

The University of Texas at Austin opened the $186 million Robert B. Rowling Hall in February of 2018. Housing graduate programs for the McCombs School of Business, the 497,500-sf facility was designed by Jacobs and Ennead Architects to foster experiential learning and entrepreneurship. Utilizing internal glass walls for optimal transparency, the project offers technology-rich classrooms, collaboration spaces, conference rooms, and convention venues, as well as housing a state-of-the-art studio for video and sound production.

Promedica and the University of Toledo will open a $57 million joint neurosciences center in April of 2018. Located on the campus of ProMedica Toledo Hospital, the three-story, 122,000-sf building will house physician offices for multiple neurological specialties, a research clinic, imaging and diagnostic suites, and academic space to support medical training and residency programs. The general contractor for the patient-centric facility is Rudolph Libbe. 

The University of Maryland is planning to build the $50 million Innovate, Design, and Engineer for America Factory in College Park. Offering open student workspaces, prototyping suites, and studios for engineering design and instruction, the 60,000-sf facility will include a student-run incubator and research labs for robotics, manufacturing, quantum technology, and transportation. The collaborative project will be built on the site of the existing Potomac Building and will physically connect to the Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building.

AgResearch, one of New Zealand's leading Crown Research Institutes, is partnering with Massey University to build the NZD$45 million Food Science Facility. Located on Massey's Manawatū campus, the three-story, 54,000-sf project will provide labs and shared spaces to support teaching and research programs in meat and dairy production.

Princeton University is partnering with BioLabs to create the 31,000-sf Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs on the James Forrestal Campus in New Jersey. Accommodating up to 25 startup companies, the business incubator and coworking space will offer 68 lab benches, private offices, and hot desks in a collaborative environment designed to foster entrepreneurial innovation. Occupancy is expected in April of 2018. BioLabs is a national provider of shared lab and office facilities, with locations in San Francisco, San Diego, Boston, and New York. 

California State University-Chico will break ground in fall of 2018 on a $101 million physical sciences building. Providing teaching labs for chemistry, physics, geology, and science education, the four-story, 110,200-sf STEM facility will include active learning classrooms, graduate research studios, collaboration spaces, administrative and faculty offices, and an interactive lab for elementary school programs.

Global manufacturing company Henkel opened its North American consumer goods headquarters in Stamford in February of 2018. Designed by Ware Malcomb to promote interaction, the three-story, 155,000-sf facility provides flexible work spaces for 425 employees. The building offers collaborative offices arranged in team neighborhoods as well as focus rooms, huddle rooms, and conference rooms. On the first floor, a research and development facility is sited adjacent to offices and presentation suites.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is building the $82 million Prairie Springs Science Center. Designed by SmithGroupJJR and River Architects, the 187,000-sf facility will provide 36 instructional labs and 23 research labs. The LEED-certified project will create a distinctive new home for the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Geography/Earth Science, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, and River Studies, as well as housing the offices of the Dean of the College of Science and Health.