Ford Motor Company will begin construction in May of 2016 on a comprehensive redevelopment of its real estate portfolio in Dearborn, Mich. The project will include construction of a 700,000-sf design facility as well as the expansion and renovation of Ford's existing headquarters campus. Designed by SmithGroupJJR to promote collaboration and interaction, the updated buildings will feature open workspaces with unassigned seating.
The University of Utah broke ground in late March of 2016 on the $55 million Gary & Ann Crocker Science Center in Salt Lake City. Providing interdisciplinary science labs, lecture halls, classrooms, an atrium, and a business incubator, the four-story facility will house the Center for Cell and Genome Science and the Center for Science and Math Education. The 123,500-sf project includes renovation of the existing 71,000-sf George Thomas building and construction of a 52,500-sf addition.
The University of Missouri is renovating Lafferre Hall in Columbia. Housing the College of Engineering, the completed facility will feature upgraded laboratories, collaborative study areas, and shell space on the third floor to allow for future expansion. Supported by $38.5 million in state funding, the project will provide flexible teaching and research space for programs in the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Asahi Kasei Chemicals will break ground in July of 2016 on a $27 million research complex at its Mizushima Works campus in Okayama, Japan. Consolidating and expanding the company's R&D facilities, the project will enable the development of new technologies for the health care, energy, and environmental science sectors. Designed to promote collaboration and innovation, the complex will include laboratories for petrochemical processing, catalyst chemistry, and organic/inorganic synthesis.
Webster University began construction in March of 2016 on the $44 million Interdisciplinary Science Building in St. Louis. Designed to accommodate STEAMM programs in science, technology, engineering, arts, math, and medicine, the collaborative facility will house the departments of Anthropology, Sociology, Biological Sciences, Nursing, Psychology, and International Languages and Cultures.
3M opened a $150 million research and development laboratory in March of 2016 in St. Paul, Minn. Sited on 10 acres, the collaborative 470,000-sf facility will accommodate up to 750 scientists from across 3M's industries, including electronic materials solutions, safety and graphics, and aerospace and commercial transportation. The four-story laboratory was designed by BWBR Architects and built by Kraus-Anderson Construction.
The University of Idaho is building the $50 million Integrated Research and Innovation Center (IRIC) on its Moscow campus. Featuring flexible laboratories for interdisciplinary research, the collaborative 70,000-sf project will include a state-of-the art visualization suite, offices, conference rooms, and core labs with shared equipment. Ground was broken on the center in August of 2014, and completion is expected in fall of 2016 with occupancy in early 2017. LEED Gold sustainable design certification will be sought for the project.
Concordia College will begin construction in April of 2016 on the $45 million Integrated Science Complex in Moorhead, Minn. Designed by Foss Architecture and EYP Architecture and Engineering, the project includes the renovation of the existing Ivers and Jones Science Center and construction of a three-story, 58,000-sf atrium. The complex will include 130,000 sf of renovated space accommodating 19 teaching labs and 16 classrooms, including T-search labs for integrated instructional and research activities.
Texas Tech University is renovating an 80,000-sf facility in Lubbock to create the Maddox Engineering Center. The $30 million project will provide classrooms, wet labs, and materials testing suites for the Edward E. Whitacre College of Engineering. A 25,000-sf materials characterization center, located in the basement, will be available for use by industry and academic partners. The project includes the complete renovation of a former mass communications building and the installation of new utilities, infrastructure, and finishes.
Novartis and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine celebrated the opening of the $27 million Center for Advanced Cellular Therapeutics in February of 2016 in Philadelphia. Accommodating the production of personalized cancer treatments using chimeric antigen receptor technology, the 30,000-sf facility features 23,610 sf of laboratory and cell therapy manufacturing space as well as a 6,300-sf cleanroom.
The University of East Anglia began site work in February of 2016 on the $140 million Quadram Institute, a new biomedical research facility located in the Norwich Research Park in the United Kingdom. Housing the Institute of Food Research, the multidisciplinary project is being created in partnership with Norwich University Hospital and will accommodate the study of gut flora in the human microbiome, healthy aging, and food innovation and safety.
By consolidating 14 scientific cores under one organizational umbrella, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) has increased the visibility of cores across its campus, improved operational efficiency, and established a system of internal and external review, all while coming in under budget.
SoBran BioScience is creating an animal research facility in Greensboro, N.C. Located on the north campus of the Gateway University Research Park, the laboratory and office building will support collaborative partnerships with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The facility will provide 8,500 sf of preclinical lab space designed to meet ISO 9001-2008 and GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) standards and attain full AAALAC accreditation.
Beijing Construction Engineering Group and the University of Huddersfield in the United Kingdom have signed a five-year agreement to collaboratively develop Building Information Modelling (BIM) technologies. The partnership will leverage BCEG's expertise in lean construction practices with the University of Huddersfield's new degree program in Design Integration and Building Information Modeling. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will also create employment opportunities at BCEG for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Auburn University began construction in February of 2016 on two new health science facilities in Auburn, Ala. Designed to support advanced instruction in team-based healthcare, the $29 million School of Nursing will feature simulation labs, active learning classrooms, and spacious interdisciplinary teaching labs. The three-story, 89,000-sf building will also provide research space, faculty offices, conference rooms, a tiered auditorium, and a student lounge.
