The University of Oregon is constructing the second phase of the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact in Eugene. Designed by ZGF Architects, Building 2 will double capacity for the research and development of biomedical technologies and expand space for academic programs, engineering, and applied science.
The University of New South Wales Sydney opened the Health Translation Hub in November of 2025 in Australia. Developed by Plenary Group, the AUD 600 million (USD 396.8 million) facility drives impactful medical discoveries to revolutionize patient care. Students at the clinical school benefit from an interdisciplinary ecosystem that directly connects future health professionals, researchers, and educators with industry partners and clinicians to foster knowledge exchange and immersive learning.
Michigan State University is planning to construct the Engineering and Digital Innovation (EDI) Center in East Lansing. Supporting increased enrollment for undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts, the $340 million facility will house the colleges of engineering, natural science, business, social science, arts and letters, and communication arts and sciences.
The University of Connecticut is constructing a new home for the Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing in Storrs. Designed by Ayers Saint Gross and Amenta Emma Architects, the 90,000-gsf building will offer a unified environment to enhance healthcare education and catalyze interdisciplinary research. The $100 million project will support increased enrollment and enable the delivery of innovative pedagogies to drive student success.
Kadans Science Partner began construction in November of 2025 on a 217,000-sf science and innovation building in the United Kingdom. Designed by Sheppard Robson, Plus Ultra Manchester will accommodate organizations from across the life sciences, health research, advanced materials, and deep technologies sectors. The facility’s customizable floor plates will provide a flexible arrangement of laboratories, cleanrooms, offices, and assembly space. A vibrant atrium will interlink with numerous breakout zones to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
Arizona State University is planning to construct an innovation and education hub that will act as the headquarters for ASU Health in Phoenix. Designed by CO Architects and DFDG Architecture to drive multidisciplinary discovery, the 200,000-sf facility will house the School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering and the School of Technology for Public Health.
Versiti is engaged in a $79 million expansion of the Versiti Blood Research Institute (VBRI) at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus in Wauwatosa, Wis. Accommodating 125 researchers, the 79,000-sf addition will double research capacity to drive vital discoveries and create breakthrough therapies for patients with conditions such as blood disorders, immune diseases, and cancer. The four-story structure will provide ten laboratory suites, support environments, and core labs that integrate advanced instrumentation.
Santa Monica College officially opened the Mathematics + Science Building in November of 2025 in California to elevate STEM education. Designed by Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign, the 110,000-sf facility brings together the departments of earth sciences, mathematics, life sciences, and physical sciences to spark interdisciplinary collaboration and discovery.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham opened the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building in October of 2025. Designed by William Blackstock Architects, the $78 million project involved the renovation and expansion of the existing Lyons-Harrison Research Building to accommodate leading-edge labs, computational suites, meeting rooms, offices, and purpose-built venues for innovation and collaboration.
Academic STEM facilities need the flexibility to accommodate an expanding range of disciplines and pedagogical methods while equipped with an adaptable infrastructure responsive to occupancy shifts and technology advances. Today’s projects often span the complexity spectrum, from soft spaces and graduate student workstations outside the lab to a zero-point energy (ZPE) environment for quantum physics research or an engineering lab housing a wind tunnel. While the terms “flexibility” and “adaptability” are often used interchangeably to describe the requirements of a lab building, planners at Research Facilities Design (RFD) draw a clear distinction between the two. In their context, flexibility is what occurs below the ceiling, for example, movable casework that allows a lab to accommodate new equipment or new research opportunities. Adaptability refers to what happens above the ceiling, such as robust MEP systems, well-organized ductwork and piping racks, and spare capacity at the electrical panel to support new or expanded programs in the building.
Rowan University opened the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine in October of 2025 on its West Campus in Mullica Hill, N.J. Supported by $75 million in state funding, the pioneering facility addresses an increased national demand for veterinary professionals and advances the wellbeing of animals and humans in alignment with the One Health initiative.
Wayne State University broke ground in September of 2025 on the Health Sciences Research Building (HSRB) in Detroit to drive innovation and address regional healthcare disparities. Designed by HKS, the 160,000-sf structure will accommodate leading-edge laboratories for the study of oncology, neuroscience, systems biology and immunology, and metabolism and infectious diseases.
The University of North Texas is constructing the Science and Technology Building on its Denton campus. Designed by SmithGroup, the $109 million facility will serve the College of Science, the College of Engineering, the College of Health and Public Service, and other departments and programs.
The University of Oxford opened the Life and Mind Building (LaMB) in October of 2025 in the United Kingdom. Designed by NBBJ, the £200 million ($268 million) facility houses the departments of Experimental Psychology and Biology, the latter including the departments of Plant Sciences and Zoology. The 270,000-sf structure provides high-performance wet and dry labs for learning and research, lecture theaters, classrooms, and conference and seminar rooms, with a teaching center on the ground floor.
The University of Louisville's J.B. Speed School of Engineering opened the Student Success & Research Building in September of 2025 in Kentucky. The 114,000-sf facility was designed by SmithGroup and Luckett & Farley to offer a maker space, modern classrooms, laboratories, conference rooms, and teamwork areas.
