Research and Development

Virginia Tech is planning to begin construction in mid-2020 on the $250 million Global Business and Analytics Complex in Blacksburg. Accommodating programs for the Pamplin College of Business, the four-building complex will include two 100,000-sf academic buildings providing collaborative research spaces, interactive classrooms, offices, labs, and high-performance computational suites for data analysis and interpretation. The transdisciplinary project will also include two residential buildings that will act as living-learning communities for approximately 700 students.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center opened the $22.3 million Academic Classroom Building in Odessa in February of 2019. Designed to promote active learning, the two-story, 51,000-sf facility provides studio classrooms, lecture halls, physical and occupational therapy training labs, research labs, and departmental offices for the schools of medicine, nursing, and health professions.

Too many expensive new science buildings are failing to meet their critical operational requirements. The number one cause of this costly and damaging outcome is a common yet preventable gap between 'build' and 'operate' that results in post-construction O&M staffing being too little, too late, and unprepared. But wait, there’s an algorithm for that!

Amicus Therapeutics is creating the Global Research and Gene Therapy Center of Excellence in Philadelphia. The 75,000-sf facility will provide collaborative laboratories and offices for the discovery and development of treatments for rare metabolic diseases. Accommodating up to 200 employees, the center will serve as the headquarters for the global Amicus science organization and the gene therapy division’s leadership team. Occupancy is expected in the second half of 2019.

The University of Washington opened the $110 million Bill & Melinda Gates Center for Computer Science & Engineering in February of 2019 in Seattle. Designed by LMN Architects to foster interaction and collaboration, the 135,000-sf facility features a 3,000-sf robotics lab, a 240-seat auditorium, a maker space, a virtual and augmented reality lab, a wet lab, and two 100-seat classrooms. The building also houses a flexible event hall, a café, a student services hub, faculty offices, and an undergraduate commons.

The University of Toronto is designing a nine-story academic hub to support urban research, education, and engagement. Designed by architectsAlliance, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and ERA Architects, the 170,000-gsf multidisciplinary building will provide a permanent home for the School of Cities as well as accommodating programs in history, music, and cultural studies.

Texas Woman's University broke ground in February of 2019 on the $54 million Science and Technology Learning Center in Denton. The 80,000-sf facility will provide graduate and undergraduate research labs for programs in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, psychology, and nutrition and food science. The four-story building will include a microscopy suite, collaboration spaces, conference rooms, faculty offices, and graduate student workspaces. Completion is expected in June of 2020.

An emerging new model for hybrid translational healthcare facilities combines scientific research with university and professional athletic programs to increase community engagement and student wellbeing. From integrating sports training facilities with medical clinics and applied research, to incorporating fitness gyms, running tracks, and rock-climbing walls into student lounges and public spaces, the combination of athletics and recreation with other programs offers an innovative vision for academic facility design.

Akouos, a genetic medicine company, has leased 37,500 sf in Boston for its research headquarters. The facility is located in a two-story, 150,000-sf building at 645 Summer Street and will support the discovery and commercialization of therapies for hearing disorders. The project was developed by Pappas Enterprises and renovated by Tocci Building Corporation. The sustainably designed structure has attained LEED Silver certification.

Southern Methodist University broke ground in February of 2019 on the 50,000-sf Gerald J. Ford Hall for Research and Innovation. Accommodating programs in high-performance computing and data science, the building will house the AT&T Center for Virtualization, the Dedman College Interdisciplinary Institute, and the Visualization Lab. Funded in part by a $15 million philanthropic contribution, the facility will also provide a new home for the Hart eCenter and the SMU Guildhall graduate game design program.

Boden Type Data Center One opened in February of 2019 in Boden, Sweden. Designed as a prototype for data center energy efficiency, the 500-kilowatt facility will operate with minimal environmental impact by implementing a range of highly innovative building systems and technologies. Funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 program, the project was developed by a consortium of firms including H1 Systems, EcoCooling, Fraunhofer IOSB, RISE SICS North, and Boden Business Agency.

Lockheed Martin opened the $50 million Research & Development II facility in Orlando in February of 2019. The six-story, 255,000-sf building offers collaborative offices and laboratories to support engineering, program management, and business operations for the company's Missiles and Fire Control division as well as the Rotary and Mission Systems division. The duration of construction was one year. 

Rosalind Franklin University is building the $50 million Innovation and Research Park in North Chicago, Ill. The four-story, 100,000-sf facility will provide leading-edge research labs, business incubator space, meeting rooms, and common areas. The project will promote collaboration among faculty, industry scientists, and biotech entrepreneurs in order to accelerate the discovery and commercialization of new medical treatments and therapeutics.

Trine University is planning an $8.5 million expansion of Fawick Hall to house the School of Computing in Angola, Ind. Designed by Elevatus Architects, the project will accommodate new and existing programs in computer science, information technology, software engineering, cybersecurity, web development, and health informatics. The facility will provide a virtual reality and artificial intelligence lab, flexible classrooms with moveable walls, an active learning lab with a maker space, collaboration areas, faculty offices, and a café.

Autolus Therapeutics has signed a long-term, full-building lease with Alexandria Real Estate Equities for the construction and development of a build-to-suit facility in Rockville, Md. Located in the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center, the 85,000-sf project will accommodate the company's U.S. headquarters and a commercial-scale manufacturing center for cell therapies. Occupancy is expected in 2021.