Research and Development

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.

Evergreen Bioscience Innovation Cluster is planning to construct a 77,000-sf research center in Spokane. Designed by ALSC Architects, the four-story facility will offer 55,000 leasable square feet of space where growing companies can engage in collaborative discovery. State-of-the-art wet labs supported by robust infrastructure will accelerate the discovery of new therapies, complemented by a range of collaboration spaces and office environments. 

Boston Scientific will begin construction in late 2023 on the $170 million Minnesota Science and Technology Center in Maple Grove, Minn. Offering sophisticated R&D labs and flexible office environments, the three-story, 400,000-sf structure will comprise two wings connected by a collaborative atrium. The amenity-rich facility will also include a conference center, support spaces, a fitness suite, and a cafeteria.  

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.

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.

Learn how Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., U.S.A., created a highly efficient research facility by employing design strategies—an open, flexible floorplan and shared core facilities—as well as operational functions, including just-in-time delivery of materials and integrated science groups. The result is a less siloed, more collaborative environment.