The Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association (SEFA) announced the winners of the Lab of the Year Award program in November of 2023. Recognizing the creation of an outstanding laboratory building or complex, the awards reflect the vital contributions of the entire project team, including the facility’s designers, engineers, contractors, material vendors, and client representatives.
Morgan State University is planning to break ground in mid-2025 on the $337 million Science and Research Complex in Baltimore. Designed by Moody Nolan in association with CannonDesign and K. Dixon Architecture, the 246,000-gsf facility will provide next-generation environments for programs in biology and chemistry.
Touchstone is constructing the Chapter Buildings in Seattle to provide Class A lab and office environments in the heart of the University District. Created in partnership with Portman Holdings and Lionstone Investments, the mixed-use project includes the creation of two buildings linked by an 8,000-sf pedestrian thoroughfare. Tenants will enjoy large, open floor plans of up to 31,000 sf with abundant natural light and operable windows.
Breakthrough Properties broke ground in October of 2023 on a 210,000-sf life sciences center in Oxford in the United Kingdom. Designed by Niazi Roden, Trinity by Breakthrough will provide 160,000 sf of Class A lab and office environments complemented by world-class amenities. The six-story facility will offer flexible floorplates of up to 40,000 sf serviced by robust mechanical and electrical systems. A jettied ground floor will create sheltered areas for informal interaction and exchange while maximizing the public outdoor landscape.
Ivanhoé Cambridge and Lendlease are constructing FORUM, a $545 million life sciences center in Boston. Designed by SGA, the nine-story, 350,000-sf building will provide state-of-the-art labs and offices for biomedical and pharmaceutical companies. Offering flexible floorplates spanning 50,000 sf, FORUM will feature a publicly accessible ground level with a café, a lounge, a community living room, and an art gallery.
The University of Florida opened the $150 million Malachowsky Hall for Data Science & Information Technology in Gainesville in November of 2023. Designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and Walker Architects, the 263,440-sf facility is a dynamic catalyst for the application of advanced computing and artificial intelligence technologies to a broad spectrum of industries.
Harvard University celebrated the beginning of construction on the Enterprise Research Campus in November of 2023. Located in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, the mixed-use project will feature leasable lab and office facilities surrounded by inviting public spaces, pedestrian walkways, restaurants, and retail amenities. The nine-acre development is strategically sited next to the Science and Engineering Complex and the Harvard Business School to further enhance the university’s thriving innovation ecosystem.
Merck celebrated the official groundbreaking for the $1.3 billion London Discovery Research Centre in October of 2023. Created in partnership with Precis Advisory, the 10-story, 269,000-sf building will provide 180,000 sf of leased space for the company’s UK headquarters. The vibrant facility will feature state-of-the-art labs, offices, and collaboration spaces where approximately 180 researchers will work alongside 600 employees involved in business development, regulatory compliance, and clinical affairs.
Auburn University will begin construction in late 2023 on the $200 million STEM + Ag Complex in Auburn, Ala. Housing programs for the College of Science and Mathematics and the College of Agriculture, the 285,000-sf complex will accommodate the departments of mathematics and statistics, biological sciences, geosciences, horticulture, entomology and plant pathology, and crop, soil, and environmental sciences. The three-building development will provide wet and dry research labs, offices for principal investigators, collaboration spaces, and shared lab support areas.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities completed construction in November of 2023 on Moderna's global headquarters at One Kendall Square. Designed by NBBJ to be the most sustainable lab building in Cambridge, the 462,100-rsf facility will support the development of innovative mRNA vaccines and therapies. The Class A+ property integrates advanced R&D labs and offices with engaging gathering spaces to promote interaction and collaboration.
Controlling the cost and quality of a project comes down to hiring the right contractors and streamlining the process to get them on board fast. “Everything is about speed.” As for retaining the researchers who will occupy those labs, collaboration spaces and floor-to-ceiling windows might not be as attractive as offering employees a place to eat. Learn the strategies the National Cancer Institute’s Frederick Research Lab employs to manage and design its research facilities.
SKS Partners is planning to construct the Berkeley Space Center at NASA Research Park in Mountain View. Representing a joint venture with the University of California, Berkeley, the 36-acre innovation hub at Moffett Field will catalyze technological breakthroughs spanning astronautics, aeronautics, quantum computing, climate studies, and the social sciences.
The University of Georgia dedicated the $54.1 million Poultry Science Building in Athens in October of 2023. Designed by Flad Architects, the 70,000-sf structure provides leading-edge facilities for programs in avian biology, genetics, nutrition, and product safety. The transformative development provides the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences with state-of-the-art classrooms, teaching labs, BSL-2 research labs, demonstration areas, conference rooms, and offices for faculty and staff.
The University of Texas at Austin broke ground in August of 2023 on the $261 million Engineering Discovery Building. Designed by CO Architects, the 210,000-gsf facility will provide a vibrant new home for the departments of Chemical Engineering and Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering. The seven-story structure will accommodate programs in novel biomaterials, chemical synthesis, geomechanics, and production engineering – all supported by robust computational capabilities.
The University of California, San Francisco is planning to construct the $842 million Research and Academic Building on its Parnassus Heights campus. Designed by HGA and Snøhetta to foster interdisciplinary exchange and discovery, the 300,000-gsf facility will provide advanced laboratories for programs in oncology, microbiology, immunology, and cell biology.
