McCord Development is planning to construct BioHub Two in northeast Houston. Comprising 500,000 sf of lab, office, and cGMP manufacturing space, the 45-acre campus will accommodate a total of seven structures offering built-to-suit environments for private companies. This dynamic nexus of innovation and discovery will catalyze synergies with San Jacinto College's planned Biotech Training Center, which will be located nearby.
Vancouver Community College is planning to construct the CAD$291.3 million Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation on its Broadway campus in Vancouver, British Columbia. Designed by Stantec, the 343,832-sf facility will empower students to participate in the clean energy economy with technology-rich teaching labs, flexible classrooms, and specialized venues for collaborative education.
How do you respect your campus’ architectural heritage while creating innovative spaces that will serve faculty and students for generations to come? Successfully balancing these demands means realizing what’s possible, studying the history and styles of existing campus buildings, and actively engaging stakeholders to understand their vision for the institution's future. The options run the gamut, from blending in with the historic landscape to creating an entirely new statement for the campus.
Decisions about space size, type, and utilization must be based on data, but massive datasets can prove to be too much of a good thing if they are not translated into usable, understandable information. HDR's proprietary software, Data Wrangler, provides a platform for facilities planners, operators, and owners to visualize how data defines their spaces, and then manipulates that data in real time to demonstrate how to maximize the assets' potential. The result: Greater collaboration and faster decision-making.
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.
The University of Kansas Medical Center faced a dilemma: how to support its growing research programs and faculty needs amid budget restrictions, aging buildings, and a backlog of deferred maintenance, all in the shadow of a decision by the university’s governing board that it would no longer fund new construction. Tasked instead with renovating existing facilities, KU Medical Center (KUMC) partnered with a facilities asset management company to assess and compile data on the condition of all infrastructure components, including everything from the air handling units, chillers, and boilers to the carpet and sprinkler system.
Wake Technical Community College is constructing the $72.4 million General Education Building in Wendell, N.C. Designed by BSA LifeStructures, the 118,000-sf facility will offer active learning classrooms, science labs, a library, an auditorium, tutoring areas, study spaces, and a food service venue. Supporting associate degree programs in engineering, science, and art, the welcoming and inclusive structure will also provide an array of student services including admissions, advising, and financial aid.
Pennsylvania State University opened the $88.2 million Engineering Design and Innovation Building in February of 2023. Designed by Payette and Lamar Johnson Collaborative, the 105,000-gsf facility provides maker spaces, teaching and research labs, two active learning venues, general-purpose classrooms, and faculty and departmental offices. The four-story structure offers multiuse design studios, machine shops, and prototyping and fabrication suites, as well as housing the Factory for Advanced Manufacturing Education Lab and the Bernhard M.
George Mason University’s new Horizon Hall is being called a “game changer” as it anchors the Core Campus Project, which facilitates multidisciplinary education, active student learning, and technological innovation with ample flexibility to accommodate evolving teaching modalities. In addition to this new construction, the project includes theater renovations; the addition of green spaces, such as a meditation garden and amphitheater; expansion of a central outdoor space; the demolition of two older buildings; and extensive upgrades to the utility infrastructure.
Brandeis University is planning a $145 million expansion of its existing science complex in Waltham, Mass. Designed by Payette, the 100,000-sf project will include the construction of a five-story building that will adjoin the atrium of the Sharpiro Science Center. The vibrant and welcoming structure will provide flexible research labs, core facilities, state-of-the-art classrooms, and maker spaces to support growing programs in applied sciences and engineering.
The U.S. Department of Energy broke ground in October of 2022 on the $86.2 million Science and User Support Center at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y. Designed by Gensler and Burns & McDonnell, the 75,000-gsf structure will act as a welcome center and innovation hub for visiting researchers, guests, and facility users. Modern, configurable conference spaces will promote interaction among investigators as they explore interdisciplinary synergies and discover new technologies and solutions.
Trinity University opened Dicke Hall in September of 2022 in San Antonio. Designed by Lake Flato, the 40,000-sf facility provides next-generation learning environments for the Department of English, the Department of Religion, and the Humanities Collective. Putting a modern spin on how these timeless academic disciplines are explored, the three-story building serves as a gathering place for students and faculty to exchange ideas, offering numerous collaboration spaces, a screening room, a large lecture hall, and a variety of flexible classrooms.
Drexel University opened the 460,000-sf Health Sciences Building in September of 2022 in Philadelphia. Developed and owned by Wexford Science+Technology and Ventas, the leased facility is strategically sited in the uCity Square innovation district. Consolidating teaching and research activities previously dispersed in separate locations throughout the city, the 12-story tower centralizes many of Drexel’s health-related programs and integrates them into the main university campus.
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories broke ground in September of 2022 on the $500 million Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre at Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario. Featuring mass timber components, the 108,000-sf building will provide state-of-the-art research environments for the development of advanced nuclear technologies. Accommodating 240 employees, the secure structure will house flexible laboratories, administrative offices, and 12 shielded hot cells with accompanying glovebox facilities.
BioMed Realty is constructing a 495,000-sf life sciences facility at Assembly Innovation Park in Somerville, Mass. Designed by Perkins&Will, the 12-story lab and office tower will provide leasable research environments for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and technology companies. With a floor-to-floor height of 15 feet, the building will offer floor plates of approximately 45,000 sf serviced by robust mechanical and electrical infrastructure.
