Biomedical

Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed), home to North America’s largest baboon population dedicated to research, has opened a new primate research facility focused on animal welfare, human safety, and operational efficiency as guiding principles. The new Animal Care Complex (ACC) includes three modular breeding and holding facilities, each with a capacity of up to 300 animals of multiple species. The spacious facility has five indoor rooms which range from 400 to 800 sf, and outdoor yards as big as 5,500 sf. 

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.

Healthpeak Properties recently opened a world-class amenities center called The Hangar on the Vantage life science campus in South San Francisco. Flad Architects' vision for the 40,000-sf facility has created a dynamic hub for interaction and relaxation, complete with a full-service rooftop bar, a food hall, a fitness center, and more. A dramatic design inspired by airplane hangars honors the area's industrial past and its role as the birthplace of biotechnology.

Werfen opened a $50 million research and development facility in December of 2024 in Bedford, Mass. Designed by Maugel DeStefano Architects, the 169,500-sf building provides a dynamic new home for the company's Hemostasis and Acute Care Diagnostics Technology Center. The structure's first two floors offer a total of 27,500 sf of lab space and 91,000 sf of office space, perched over a 51,000-sf parking area for 160 vehicles.

Werfen opened a $50 million research and development facility in December of 2024 in Bedford, Mass. Designed by Maugel DeStefano Architects, the 169,500-sf building provides a dynamic new home for the company's Hemostasis and Acute Care Diagnostics Technology Center. The structure's first two floors offer a total of 27,500 sf of lab space and 91,000 sf of office space, perched over a 51,000-sf parking area for 160 vehicles.

Leggat McCall Properties and DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners opened a 370,000-rsf life sciences building at Boynton Yards in Somerville in November of 2024. Strategically sited less than a mile from Kendall Square, 808 Windsor was designed by ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge as a catalyst for biomedical and pharmaceutical innovation. JLL Capital Markets arranged $246 million in construction financing for the project with capital partner Deutsche Finance America.

Case Western Reserve University celebrated the official groundbreaking of the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building (ISEB) in October of 2024 in Cleveland. Designed by HGA in partnership with local firm DVA Architecture, the 189,000-sf facility will collocate more than 60 principal investigators from the School of Medicine, the School of Engineering, and the College of Arts and Sciences. The $300 million structure will offer both wet and dry labs, a shared core lab, and advanced technology platforms.

The vision of biomedical research as a collective effort is resoundingly clear in the $237.5 million Pelotonia Research Center, the first building to be completed in the 350-plus-acre Carmenton district on the campus of The Ohio State University (Ohio State) in Columbus. Opened in May 2023, the center integrates almost 100,000 sf of wet labs, 25,000 sf of computational labs, and 20,000 sf of core labs in a single facility designed to host interdisciplinary collaborations and public-private initiatives that focus on solving some of the most critical health challenges. With life science as the backbone of the research endeavor, current projects range from modeling cancer progressions to 3D printing of patient-specific anatomic models. 

Kadans Science Partner is constructing a 139,000-sf facility in Cambridge in the United Kingdom that will catalyze the discovery of new therapies, medical devices, and digital healthcare solutions. Providing fully fitted, best-in-class research environments, Merlin Place will offer CL2 wet labs, dry labs, and dedicated office spaces. A flexible structural grid with adaptable floor heights will support a range of configurations in the building, which will utilize a modular layout to accommodate multiple tenants or a single entity.

Breakthrough Properties celebrated the opening of a 510,000-sf life sciences campus in San Diego in October of 2024. Designed by Flad Architects, Torrey View by Breakthrough offers state-of-the-art wet labs for the development of novel therapies and technologies, as well as flexible workspaces and collaboration areas. An iconic tessellated envelope allows interior floor plates to be infused with natural light, maximizing occupant wellness and energy efficiency without compromising performance.

MilliporeSigma, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, opened a $317.2 million facility in Rockville in October of 2024. Located in the Alexandria Center at Traville Gateway, the 260,000-sf building provides advanced laboratories for biosafety testing, analytical development, viral clearance, and cell bank manufacturing. The project represents the company's largest investment to date in contract testing operations.

AstraZeneca officially opened The Hub on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in October of 2024. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, this dynamic amenities center offers inviting settings for collaboration, engagement, and relaxation that are available to both corporate employees and the local community. The facility's 39,460-sf internal floor area accommodates a fitness center, treatment rooms, and areas for health screening and occupational health services. Other features include a nursery and preschool, a café, a bar, a shop, and an inviting garden.

King Street Properties has announced the substantial completion of the South Building at the Landing, a purpose-built complex for biomedical innovation. Designed by Perkins&Will, the seven-story, 300,000-sf facility offers 46,500-sf floor plates and advanced MEP systems to support a 60/40 lab-to-office ratio. Robust research programs can be accommodated by 15-foot deck-to-deck heights, with expansive 20-foot heights available on the ground floor.

Breakthrough Properties is constructing a 225,000-sf life sciences facility in Philadelphia. Designed by KieranTimberlake, the nine-story building will offer best-in-class research environments for biomedical and pharmaceutical tenants. The purpose-built structure will feature open floorplates with highly flexible lab zones that can accommodate a wide range of programs.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center is constructing the $105 million Campus Operations and Research Excellence (CORE) building in Omaha. Designed by LEO A DALY, the six-level, 180,870-gsf structure will feature three stories of state-of-the-art wet labs, including a 30,800-sf floor for research programs in oncology, drug discovery, and other strategic priorities. Approximately 61,600 sf of leasable shell space will accommodate private tenants or supply additional capacity for future growth.