The University of Saskatchewan will begin construction in fall of 2016 on the CAD$63 million Collaborative Science Research Building in Saskatoon. The facility will accommodate research on water security and plant science, enabling the development of advanced biofuels, water purification systems, drought-resistant crops, and sustainable pest-control mechanisms. Completion is expected in spring of 2018.
Brown University is constructing an $88 million facility for the School of Engineering in Providence, R.I. Designed by Kieran Timberlake, the three-story, 80,000-sf project will support collaborative research in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, and clean energy technologies. The sustainably designed facility will feature open-plan laboratories, cleanrooms for bioscience and nanotechnology, an imaging suite, collaboration spaces, and an advanced multidisciplinary undergraduate teaching lab.
Williams College will begin construction by fall of 2016 on a $204 million renovation of the Unified Science Center in Williamstown, Mass. Featuring flexible laboratories for interdisciplinary teaching and research, the project includes construction of two new structures totaling 177,000 sf. The first 77,000-sf building will house research labs for biology, chemistry, and physics and is slated for completion in May of 2017.
Leading-edge interdisciplinary facilities like the New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health (IFNH) at Rutgers University, as well as facilities in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C., are transforming academic research culture through the use of open building designs that foster cross-discipline collaborations and “emergent outcomes.” This approach to culture-driven facility design is also being successfully deployed at other universities across the country in an effort to improve the way research institutes operate and compete for grants and contracts.
The Pennsylvania State University is planning a $44.5 million renovation and expansion of the Agricultural Engineering Building in University Park. Providing multidisciplinary laboratories and classrooms, the project will add 35,000 sf to the existing 64,533-sf (44,581-asf) structure. The building houses the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, a department jointly administered by the College of Agricultural Sciences and the College of Engineering.
Angelo State University selected Hill International in July of 2016 to design a $26.4 million facility for the College of Health and Human Services. Located in San Angelo, Texas, the 52,000-sf building will provide technology-rich labs for interdisciplinary research as well as instructional spaces, faculty offices, teaching labs, study lounges, a 100-seat seminar room, and a centralized administrative suite. Angelo State University is a part of the Texas Tech University System.
The University of New Mexico broke ground July of 2016 on a $35 million facility in downtown Albuquerque that will act as a living laboratory for entrepreneurial education. Representing the first phase of the planned ABQ innovation district, the six-story, 160,000-sf Lobo Rainforest Building will provide collaboration spaces, meeting rooms, business incubators, and student accommodation. The Air Force Research Laboratory will also lease space in the building, which will offer access to advanced technologies and instrumentation suites.
Morgan Advanced Materials is planning to construct the Carbon Science Center of Excellence in University Park, Pa. Located in Penn State's Innovation Park, the 30,000-sf facility will support collaborative R&D with academic and industry partners in the field of carbon research, with a focus on materials and application engineering. Occupancy is expected in late 2017. Based in the United Kingdom, Morgan Advanced Materials is a global leader in the production of engineered carbon and ceramic materials.
The University of New South Wales is building the AUD$125 million Biological Sciences Building in Sydney, Australia. Located on the Kensington campus, the 234,000-sf facility will provide teaching and research laboratories for the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences and the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences. Designed by Woods Bagot to optimize flexibility and adaptability, the project will utilize mobile lab benching systems in collaborative research areas located adjacent to support zones with dedicated write-up spaces.
AstraZeneca is building the £750 million Global R&D Centre and Corporate Headquarters on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in the United Kingdom. Providing advanced facilities for pharmaceutical discovery and development, the 580,000-sf project will include space for biologics research, high throughput screening, medicinal chemistry, pre-clinical research, and clinical studies. Designed to optimize interaction and connectivity, the collaborative 11-acre campus will accommodate approximately 2,000 employees and will include an on-site energy center.
Texas Tech University selected Hill International in July of 2016 to design two new facilities on its Lubbock campus. Comprising the Education, Research & Technology Building and the West Expansion Building, the $83.7 million, 150,000-gsf project will provide modular open labs for interdisciplinary research, principal investigator offices, core instrumentation suites, academic offices, a seminar room, and support space.
Berea College is building the $72 million Margaret A. Cargill Natural Sciences and Health Building in Berea, K.Y. Housing the departments of biology, chemistry, mathematics, nursing, and physics, the 125,000-sf interdisciplinary facility will support collaborative education with technology-rich ‘classatories’, team project labs, and seminar rooms for problem-based learning.
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is planning to build the $102 million Global Center for Advanced Interprofessional Learning in Omaha. The 183,742-sf facility will act as the headquarters of an initiative called iEXCEL (Interprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning) and will feature virtual immersive reality environments for medical training. The project will also provide collaborative space for engineers, graphic artists, and instructional design experts to develop and research new learning tools and techniques.
HCA East Florida will begin construction in fall of 2016 on a $219 million hospital in Davie, Fla. The facility will be located on the campus of Nova Southeastern University adjacent to HCA's existing emergency department at the site. The 200-bed academic medical center will support collaborative research, education, and training programs as well as accommodating clinical trials.
Oregon Health & Science University broke ground in June of 2016 on the $160 Knight Cancer Institute in Portland. Designed by SRG Partnership to foster multidisciplinary collaboration, the seven-story, 320,000-sf facility is located on the South Waterfront Campus and will provide biomedical laboratories, administrative offices, interaction hubs, core labs, a 200-seat auditorium, and space for clinical trials.
