Prairie View A&M University opened the $70 million Engineering Classroom and Research Building in June of 2023 in Prairie View, Texas. Designed by Stantec to enhance student-faculty interaction, the multidisciplinary facility provides the Roy G. Perry College of Engineering with flexible environments for learning, collaboration, and discovery.
Purdue University is planning to construct the $160 million Nursing and Pharmacy Education Building in West Lafayette, Ind. Fostering interprofessional collaboration and discovery, the 186,000-sf facility will strategically collocate the College of Health and Human Services with the College of Pharmacy. The four-story structure will mirror modern healthcare settings with clinical simulation labs, a pharmacy practice lab, and a nuclear pharmacy lab.
Sterling Bay broke ground in May of 2023 on Pacific Center, a $650 million life sciences campus in the Sorrento Mesa area of San Diego. Designed by Gensler, the initial $265 million phase of construction will create two fully equipped research buildings linked by a central plaza. The all-electric structures will offer a total of 500,000 sf of lab, office, and conference space for biomedical and pharmaceutical tenants.
The National Institutes of Health broke ground in May of 2023 on a $630 million addition to the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda. Designed by HOK, the Surgery, Radiology, and Laboratory Medicine Wing will enable the discovery of innovative diagnostics, therapies, and cures for a wide range of diseases and conditions.
The Ohio State University opened the $237.5 million Pelotonia Research Center in May of 2023 in Columbus. Collocating research programs in life sciences, engineering, data sciences, and environmental health, the 305,000-sf building will accelerate the creation of novel solutions for complex scientific problems. Pelli Clarke & Partners and Moody Nolan designed the five-story structure with integrated laboratory neighborhoods to foster collaboration and discovery.
When lockdown ended, many organizations saw the proven viability of telecommuting as a chance to reduce their real estate needs. Sandia National Laboratories seized the opportunity to use its work-from-home dividend to renovate its older buildings and update building amenities.
The U.S. Department of Energy opened the $19.5 million Research and Innovation Laboratory (RAIL) in May of 2023 in Golden, Colo. Located at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the 15,700-sf facility features 5,500 sf of cross-disciplinary collaboration space for the development of pioneering energy solutions and technologies. Catalyzing innovation at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, bioscience, and engineering, RAIL offers additional wet lab capacity, which is in high demand on NREL’s South Table Mountain campus.
Matrix Innovation Center opened the Matrix ONE lab and office building in May of 2023 in the Amsterdam Science Park. Designed by MVRDV, the 140,000-sf structure provides flexible labs and offices, a 100-seat auditorium, and a range of settings for informal interaction. As well as offering leasable space for private companies, Matrix ONE houses SustainaLab, a research hub for the creation of climate change solutions.
Clemson University broke ground in May of 2023 on the $130 million Advanced Materials Innovation Complex in Clemson, S.C. Housing the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the 143,000-sf center will also accommodate select faculty from the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering as they explore interdisciplinary synergies and endeavors. Collaborative research suites will enable teams of investigators to discover new technologies for advanced manufacturing, energy, and health.
University College London is constructing IoN-DRI, a £281.6 million neuroscience center where 500 clinicians and investigators will work together to translate research discoveries into innovative solutions for patient care. The interdisciplinary complex will collocate the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (IoN), the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI), and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) opened in May of 2023 in Manhattan, Kan. Enabling the rapid detection and mitigation of animal and human pathogens, the $1.25 billion complex provides state-of-the-art biocontainment labs supported by robust ventilation and decontamination systems. Sited on 48 acres adjacent to Kansas State University, the 708,000-sf development provides enhanced diagnostic and research capabilities to protect the country from emerging, zoonotic, and foreign animal diseases.
The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) has announced the 2023 Facility of the Year Awards category winners. The awards include:
Emory University opened the $440 million Winship Cancer Institute in May of 2023 in Atlanta. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in collaboration with May Architecture, the 455,000-sf facility integrates translational research with clinical care to optimize patient outcomes. The 17-story building offers 80 inpatient beds, six operating rooms, linear accelerators, imaging suites, infusion rooms, wellness areas, and a stunning double-height lobby.
Cal Poly dedicated the $133 million William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation in May of 2023 in San Luis Obispo. Designed by ZGF Architects with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the 103,800-sf facility represents a collaboration between the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Science and Mathematics, and the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.
College campuses are great for what they are—places to bring students and faculty together in the cause of learning and research. Today, though, universities are increasingly seeking to bring in private industry, to take advantage of research synergies and help build the next generation of innovations. New science building projects and renovations need to invite and encourage corporate teams as well as establish fruitful grounds for discoveries. The University of Arkansas faced this challenge when contemplating a new building— the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research, nicknamed I3R—to house labs, core facilities and office space to support five research centers of excellence. They sought to convey an inviting image and a less ivy-covered appeal, starting with the location on the Fayetteville campus.
