The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg broke ground on the $19.2 million Life Sciences Building in August of 2021. Accommodating programs in nursing, allied health, biochemistry, and natural sciences, the 32,000-sf facility will provide sophisticated simulation suites, chemistry and biology labs, a telemedicine center, a clinical training lab, a computer lab, student lounges, and administrative space.
The University of Kansas (KU) faced a daunting challenge: more than 11 million sf of facilities in 150 buildings whose average age was 45 years and a deferred maintenance backlog exceeding $350 million. At the same time, the university’s strategic plan set a goal of increasing research and discovery, and the resulting campus master plan prioritized the need for new research facilities. Realizing that goal while addressing the existing challenges could have taken decades using traditional funding models. The solution? The Integrated Science Building, KU’s $180 million large-scale public-private partnership (P3) for interdisciplinary campus development, which is breaking new ground in funding models, integration, management structure, and fundraising activities. With this initiative, the university took a “great leap forward” in academic and research programs, design decisions, space allocations, programming, and critical infrastructure upgrades, as well as making a bold step with the project delivery.
Trinity College Dublin began construction in September of 2021 on the Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry in Ireland. Designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios to promote collaboration and innovation, the six-story, 78,577-sf building will be shared by the schools of engineering, natural sciences, and computer science and statistics. Enabling a dynamic pedagogy of project-based learning, the $71 million interdisciplinary facility will offer maker spaces, studios, and interactive classrooms to support Trinity's Engineering, Environment and Emerging Technologies initiative.
The University of Maryland broke ground in August of 2021 on the $116 million Chemistry Building in College Park. Designed by Ballinger, the flexible 105,000-sf structure will provide 34 modular research labs with robust climate controls and vibration mitigation technologies. Accelerating innovation in advanced materials, nanoscience, energy storage, quantum chemistry, and drug discovery and delivery, the project will include two core facilities, 12 meeting and huddle rooms, open office environments, and 13,000 sf of collaboration space.
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology opened a $29 million academic building in September of 2021 in Terre Haute, Ind. Designed by RATIO Architects with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the 70,000-sf facility provides engineering design studios, flexible classrooms, collaborative workspaces, breakout rooms, and faculty innovation spaces.
Rice University began site work in summer of 2021 for the $152 million Engineering and Science Building in Houston. Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill with Scientia Architects as laboratory design consultant, the 266,000-sf structure will provide state-of-the-art labs, maker spaces, seminar rooms, interactive gathering areas, classrooms, and a dedicated prototyping facility. Flexible office areas will include touchdown spaces for faculty, graduate students, and staff.
The four-story expansion of the 1980s-era Murchie Science Building at the University of Michigan-Flint adds 68,000 sf of state-of-the art research labs, maker space, and instructional and collaboration spaces that create a sense of community for the largely non-traditional commuter student population. The building, with its glass lobby, is a gateway to the campus and a symbol of the emphasis that the liberal arts university places on STEM education.
Howard University will begin construction in 2023 on the National Research Center for Health Disparities in Washington. Accelerating the discovery of new solutions for chronic illnesses, the 260,000-sf facility will provide sophisticated laboratory and office environments where academic investigators can engage in collaborative discovery with pharmaceutical companies and biomedical research organizations.
The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford broke ground on the $18 million Engineering & Information Technologies Building in August of 2021. Designed by HED and LPA Partners to enable team-based learning and discovery, the 39,000-sf facility will provide engineering labs and shops, computer labs, large group classrooms, a data center, and offices for faculty and staff. All building functions will open towards a two-story collaborative center to enhance interaction, visibility, and accessibility.
Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the second quarter of 2021. Key points include:
Florida State University broke ground in August of 2021 on the $88 million Interdisciplinary Research and Commercialization Building in Tallahassee, Fla. Designed by HGA as an 'idea factory' for materials science discovery, the 116,000-sf project will provide open labs, core facilities, and collaboration venues for up to 30 research teams. The highly flexible and adaptable structure will collocate investigators with expertise in biomedical engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, condensed matter physics, and device prototyping.
The University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College broke ground in July of 2021 on a $57 million shared facility in Herriman. The 90,000-sf structure will accommodate associate and bachelor’s degree programs in high-demand fields such as computer science, engineering, business administration, criminal justice, nursing, social work, and teaching. The structure will also incorporate student services centers for both institutions including admissions, financial aid, advising, tutoring, and transfer support.
Faculty in higher education often spend less than 20 percent of their workday at their assigned desks, so why do they still have them? It is a question that academic administrators are asking, as they look for ways to provide building occupants with the spaces they need to do their work and the autonomy to select the right space for the right task, all within an increasingly constrained campus footprint. Corporate offices have been making the transition to unassigned seating for years now, and despite trepidation, there are signs that academia may be following suit: In a recent survey of 88 U.S. colleges and universities (conducted by the Society for College and University Planning and brightspot, a Buro Happold company), about 62 percent of respondents said they are pursuing more flexible or unassigned workspaces for administrative staff, and 54 percent are planning to do so for academic work facilities, as well.
Landmark Bio began construction in July of 2021 on a leased facility in Watertown, Mass. Supported by $76 million in funding, the 40,000-sf project will accelerate the availability of novel therapeutics by collocating research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization activities in the same structure. Featuring eight GMP cleanrooms configured to allow production of both cell and viral vector materials, the center will include labs, offices, and quality control suites.
The Ohio State University is constructing the $237.5 million Interdisciplinary Research Facility in Columbus. Anchoring a new innovation district, the 305,000-sf building will accommodate biomedical, life sciences, engineering, and environmental science research programs. Designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners and Moody Nolan to foster interaction and collaboration, the five-story structure will provide wet labs, computational labs, core labs, a vivarium, and a variety of support spaces.
