Master Plans

Harvard University celebrated the beginning of construction on the Enterprise Research Campus in November of 2023. Located in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, the mixed-use project will feature leasable lab and office facilities surrounded by inviting public spaces, pedestrian walkways, restaurants, and retail amenities. The nine-acre development is strategically sited next to the Science and Engineering Complex and the Harvard Business School to further enhance the university’s thriving innovation ecosystem.

SKS Partners is planning to construct the Berkeley Space Center at NASA Research Park in Mountain View. Representing a joint venture with the University of California, Berkeley, the 36-acre innovation hub at Moffett Field will catalyze technological breakthroughs spanning astronautics, aeronautics, quantum computing, climate studies, and the social sciences.

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.

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.

Vancouver Community College is planning to construct the CAD$291.3 million Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation on its Broadway campus in Vancouver, British Columbia. Designed by Stantec, the 343,832-sf facility will empower students to participate in the clean energy economy with technology-rich teaching labs, flexible classrooms, and specialized venues for collaborative education. An automotive shop for electric and hybrid vehicles will enable hands-on training in the servicing and maintenance of new transportation modalities.

Appalachian State University broke ground in July of 2023 on the $61.5 million Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research in Boone, N.C. Designed by Lord Aeck Sargent, the 50,000-sf facility will provide sophisticated venues for environmental science education and discovery. Flexible classrooms with built-in dividers will accommodate a range of programs, complemented by a full suite of biology labs.

How do you respect your campus’ architectural heritage while creating innovative spaces that will serve faculty and students for generations to come? Successfully balancing these demands means realizing what’s possible, studying the history and styles of existing campus buildings, and actively engaging stakeholders to understand their vision for the institution's future. The options run the gamut, from blending in with the historic landscape to creating an entirely new statement for the campus.

Decisions about space size, type, and utilization must be based on data, but massive datasets can prove to be too much of a good thing if they are not translated into usable, understandable information. HDR's proprietary software, Data Wrangler, provides a platform for facilities planners, operators, and owners to visualize how data defines their spaces, and then manipulates that data in real time to demonstrate how to maximize the assets' potential. The result: Greater collaboration and faster decision-making.

The U.S. Department of Energy opened the $19.5 million Research and Innovation Laboratory (RAIL) in May of 2023 in Golden, Colo. Located at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the 15,700-sf facility features 5,500 sf of cross-disciplinary collaboration space for the development of pioneering energy solutions and technologies. Catalyzing innovation at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, bioscience, and engineering, RAIL offers additional wet lab capacity, which is in high demand on NREL’s South Table Mountain campus.

The University of Kansas Medical Center faced a dilemma: how to support its growing research programs and faculty needs amid budget restrictions, aging buildings, and a backlog of deferred maintenance, all in the shadow of a decision by the university’s governing board that it would no longer fund new construction. Tasked instead with renovating existing facilities, KU Medical Center (KUMC) partnered with a facilities asset management company to assess and compile data on the condition of all infrastructure components, including everything from the air handling units, chillers, and boilers to the carpet and sprinkler system.

The University of Michigan will break ground in late 2023 on a $250 million research and education building in Detroit. Designed by KPF, the University of Michigan Center for Innovation (UMCI) will accommodate graduate programs in computer science, robotics, artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, financial technology, and sustainability. The 200,000-sf facility will also foster engagement with area residents by offering professional development classes, certificate courses, and workforce training opportunities.

Wake Technical Community College is constructing the $72.4 million General Education Building in Wendell, N.C. Designed by BSA LifeStructures, the 118,000-sf facility will offer active learning classrooms, science labs, a library, an auditorium, tutoring areas, study spaces, and a food service venue. Supporting associate degree programs in engineering, science, and art, the welcoming and inclusive structure will also provide an array of student services including admissions, advising, and financial aid.

Pennsylvania State University opened the $88.2 million Engineering Design and Innovation Building in February of 2023. Designed by Payette and Lamar Johnson Collaborative, the 105,000-gsf facility provides maker spaces, teaching and research labs, two active learning venues, general-purpose classrooms, and faculty and departmental offices. The four-story structure offers multiuse design studios, machine shops, and prototyping and fabrication suites, as well as housing the Factory for Advanced Manufacturing Education Lab and the Bernhard M.

Wexford Science+Technology broke ground in January of 2023 on the 300,000-sf Howard R. Levine Center for Education in Charlotte. Designed by Ayers Saint Gross, the project will provide Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine with world-class teaching labs, active learning classrooms, and areas for formal and informal collaboration. The vibrant facility will also accommodate Atrium Health's Carolinas College of Health Sciences and space for Wake Forest's business and professional studies programs.

George Mason University’s new Horizon Hall is being called a “game changer” as it anchors the Core Campus Project, which facilitates multidisciplinary education, active student learning, and technological innovation with ample flexibility to accommodate evolving teaching modalities. In addition to this new construction, the project includes theater renovations; the addition of green spaces, such as a meditation garden and amphitheater; expansion of a central outdoor space; the demolition of two older buildings; and extensive upgrades to the utility infrastructure.