The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center broke ground in late September of 2023 on the $668 million South Campus Research Building 5 in Houston. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects to catalyze biomedical discovery and innovation, the 600,000-sf structure will anchor the institutions's R&D campus at the Texas Medical Center's Helix Park. Housing the James P.
Colorado State University broke ground in September of 2023 on a $230 million redevelopment of the Veterinary Health and Education Complex (VEHC) in Fort Collins. Delivering 300,000 sf of new program space, the expansion and renovation project will feature a replacement veterinary teaching hospital that will offer unique opportunities for immersive education. A $13 million livestock hospital will also be constructed adjacent to the Johnson Family Equine Hospital to provide additional medical, surgical, and ambulatory care facilities.
Rice University opened the Ralph S. O'Connor Building for Engineering and Science in September of 2023 in Houston. Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill with Scientia Architects as laboratory design consultant, the $152 million facility provides maker spaces, seminar rooms, a dedicated prototyping center, two classrooms, and nearly 50 labs. Flexible office areas include touchdown spaces for faculty, graduate students, and staff. Housing the George R.
University of Chicago Medicine broke ground in September of 2023 on an $815 million cancer center that will provide world-class environments for research and treatment. CannonDesign's architectural vision for the freestanding facility will radically elevate the patient experience by bringing together clinicians, investigators, and physician-scientists to optimize the delivery of team-based care.
The University of Michigan will begin construction in late 2023 on a $141 million building for the College of Pharmacy in Ann Arbor. Collocating functions previously dispersed in seven separate locations, the 142,000-gsf teaching and research facility will provide active learning classrooms, laboratories, support spaces, faculty and administrative offices, and a student services suite. With a range of settings for group and individual study, the highly collaborative project will include open community areas for informal interaction and exchange.
Northeastern University opened the $300 million EXP building in September of 2023 in Boston. Featuring a 15,000-sf maker space, the 357,000-sf facility offers active learning environments, teaching and research labs, executive offices, a faculty club, and a café. A range of meeting and collaboration venues will catalyze interdisciplinary discovery and exchange.
Virginia Tech is planning to break ground in spring of 2024 on a $292 million engineering building located in the North Academic District in Blacksburg. Replacing an existing structure, Mitchell Hall will act as a centralized hub for several departments including mechanical, chemical, aerospace, and ocean engineering. The five-story, 285,500-gsf development was designed by Perkins&Will to foster experiential learning with student collaboration spaces on every level.
Miami University dedicated the $96 million Clinical Health Sciences and Wellness Building in September of 2023 in Oxford, Ohio. The three-story, 165,000-sf complex strategically collocates programs in nursing, physician associate studies, and speech pathology and audiology to enhance interprofessional exchange and discovery. Designed by BSA LifeStructures, the transdisciplinary facility comprises three linked volumes. The north wing houses classrooms, teaching labs, a fitness studio, and the Office of Student Wellness.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began construction in September of 2023 on the $240 million Energy and Minerals Research Facility in Golden, Colo. Sited on the campus of the Colorado School of Mines, the 190,000-sf building will enable 250 USGS researchers to work side-by-side with 68 of the university's investigators and 150 students. This collaborative nexus for applied geosciences will include state-of-the-art laboratories, faculty offices, graduate student workstations, a classroom, and a café.
The University of Hawaii at Manoa opened the $70 million Residences for Innovative Student Entrepreneurs (RISE) in August of 2023 in Honolulu. Leveraging the power of interdisciplinary collaboration to promote new venture success, the 117,000-sf building features a 7,263-sf multipurpose venue with a maker lab for prototyping and design. The six-story structure also offers co-working zones, meeting areas, and a classroom. On the upper floors, a 219-unit dormitory provides 374 beds for undergraduate and graduate students from across the UH System.
North Carolina State University broke ground in September of 2023 on the $180 million Integrative Sciences Building in Raleigh. Designed by ZGF Architects and Moseley Architects, the 164,947-sf facility will provide leading-edge environments for programs in chemistry, biochemistry, and biological sciences. The collaborative five-story structure will offer two floors of teaching labs, as well as an advanced research floor integrating physical and life sciences in a way not possible anywhere else on campus.
Generative AI technologies like ChatGPT and DALL-E are expected to dramatically impact the design of science and research facilities by expediting creative ideation, improving process efficiency, and driving scientific innovation. To clear up some of the common misconceptions and learn how facility designers are actually using AI in the real world, Tradeline interviewed a cross-section of industry-leading professionals who specialize in science and research facilities to find out if—and how—they’re using AI technologies and what they see as some of the potential risks and benefits.
The University of Cincinnati’s College of Allied Health Sciences designed a classroom building that lives up to its name, one that promotes the health and well-being of students and faculty, with ample natural light, healthy eating options, and spaces for quiet respite.
The University of Texas at Dallas and UT Southwestern opened the $120 million Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Building in August of 2023. Located on the east campus of UT Southwestern Medical Center, the 150,000-sf facility accommodates innovative research programs in artificial intelligence, robotics, and molecular and genetic engineering. The five-story structure provides state-of-the-art wet labs, dry labs, and collaboration spaces where multidisciplinary teams will discover new medical solutions and technologies.
The University of Arkansas broke ground in August of 2023 on the $36 million Multi-User Silicon Carbide Research and Fabrication Facility (MUSiC) in Fayetteville. Located in the Arkansas Research and Technology Park, the 18,660-sf building will produce microelectronic chips made with silicon carbide, a powerful semiconductor that outperforms basic silicon in several critical ways.
