Modernization

Workplace occupancy planning used to be straightforward: People were assigned to an office, cubicle, or facility, and that is where they worked. Not so in the current hybrid work world. Traditional space and occupancy techniques are struggling to handle the complexity of today’s diverse facility use patterns. And increased pressure and regulations related to sustainability and energy usage only add to the challenge. However, AI is beginning to transform space and occupancy planning.

The University of Kansas opened the redeveloped David Booth Memorial Kansas Stadium in August of 2025, marking the completion of the first phase of the new Gateway District. Designed by HNTB and Multistudio as an inviting entrance to campus, the $448 million project elevates the fan experience with a restructured bowl layout offering improved sightlines and increased proximity to the field. Diverse premium seating options include ledge suites, loge boxes, and 2,300 club seats distributed across three social zones.

State-of-the-art labs are more efficient, cheaper, and more pleasant for the animals housed there than older designs. Despite all these advantages, most labs are decades out of date, say laboratory architect Jeff Zynda of Perkins&Will and laboratory veterinary consultant John J. Hasenau. The longtime collaborators point out that outdated labs are missing out on a broad range of improvements—from more efficient HVAC systems to a deeper understanding of light spectrums to better cage design—that are more comfortable for the animals, more useful for the scientists, and less expensive to operate.

BC Cancer broke ground in July of 2025 on the CAD 386 million ($281 million) Kamloops Cancer Center, which will be operated in partnership with Interior Health. Spanning five stories, the 226,042-sf facility will address a growing demand for high-quality, accessible care in the Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap region. An outpatient ambulatory clinic will offer ten examination rooms and two consultation rooms. A CT simulator will enable radiation therapy planning, accompanied by three linear accelerators (LINACs) in shielded treatment environments.

Hospitals and healthcare systems are stepping up to manage difficult choices. COVID funds have expired, staff are difficult to find and expensive to hire, and reimbursements aren’t keeping up with inflation. For those who are planning new and renovated healthcare spaces, the focus is on becoming more labor- and cost-efficient, benefiting from technology-driven ways of delivering healthcare while not losing the personal, human touch.

How did the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) convert two century-old industrial buildings --  a former Model T Ford assembly line and the manufacturing plant where the instant camera was invented for Polaroid -- into Class A research space? They accomplished it for the same cost as new construction but in less time, with a much smaller carbon footprint, and the blessing of their neighbors.

Cornell University is planning to expand Duffield Hall to create a vibrant home for the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering in Ithaca, N.Y. Supported by a $100 million donation, the project will add 130,000 sf of new and renovated space. Upon completion, the 300,000-sf facility will feature an embedded, low-vibration research wing for quantum computing on a built-out basement level, complemented by three stories above grade.

An evolution of the equipment and technology researchers need is transforming ordinary labs into facilities that deserve to be called next-generation or future-ready. Significant changes in space utilization and lab planning and design are driven by increased automation and robotics, the incorporation of manufacturing, enhanced information technology with an emphasis on data collection, ever-evolving technologies, developer core/shell fit-outs, hybrid work patterns, and different approaches to project delivery and construction. 

Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is building the Technology Engineering Innovation Center, an approximately 73,000-sf facility that will anchor an evolving STEM corridor on the north part of campus. Designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, the split-level structure will act as a central hub for departments within the College of Technology, Architecture, and Applied Engineering.

Barnard College is constructing the Roy & Diana Vagelos Science Center in New York to foster excellence in STEM education, innovation, and scholarship. Representing an investment of approximately $240 million, the expansion and renovation will transform the existing Altschul Hall into a modern hub for innovative teaching and research. The 169,000-sf structure will house all of Barnard’s bench sciences, including the departments of biology, chemistry, environmental science, neuroscience and behavior, and physics and astronomy. 

The past few decades have brought myriad technological changes to our daily lives, and experts predict the pace of change will only increase—especially in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Much of the talk surrounding AI focuses on automating repetitive processes and analyzing data, which require additional computational power but not necessarily structural modifications. But emerging technologies, including AI and robotics, may require universities and companies to rethink their approach to designing and planning buildings and labs.

The fast-moving nature of biotechnology innovation means architects and designers for Regeneron have to plan for researchers’ requirements to change by the time new laboratories open on the Tarrytown, N.Y., campus. The campus is undergoing a $1.8 billion expansion, adding 900,000 sf of new laboratory and office space, along with additional parking, amenities, and infrastructure to support research and development.

Construction began in November of 2024 on the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre (ASEC) in Moncton, New Brunswick. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects in association with EXP, the adaptive reuse project will transform the existing Gulf Fisheries Centre into a four-story complex equipped with leading-edge laboratories and technologies.

The University of Southern California broke ground in November of 2024 on the $200 million Bloom Football Performance Center in Los Angeles. Designed by HNTB, the 163,000-sf facility will position USC to recruit top national talent as part of its transition to the Big Ten Conference. A strategic redevelopment of the John McKay Center will create a vibrant new home for Trojan Football and support the university's entire student-athlete population.

The Canadian Centre for Advanced Material Manufacturing (CCAM) opened in Mississauga in fall of 2024. The transformation of the existing building was designed by the Canada FIRST joint venture, a collaboration between HOK, Architecture49, and WSP. The ambitious project represents the first milestone in the Laboratories Canada program, a strategic initiative by the federal government aimed at modernizing and enhancing science facilities across the nation.