Max Planck Breaks Ground on Jupiter Research Facility

The Max Planck Society broke ground in June of 2010 on a 100,000-sf bioimaging research facility in Jupiter, Fla. The project is located on six acres at the MacArthur campus of Florida Atlantic University. The project team includes Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, associate architect PGAL, laboratory design consultant Research Facilities Design (RFD), and BR+A Consulting Engineers. The construction managers for the project are The Weitz Company and DPR Construction with Jones Lang LaSalle as program manager. The facility will accommodate nearly 58,000 sf of laboratory space housing wet and dry bench research, instrumentation labs, computational research, core imaging facilities and microscope suites, information technology services, and offices for researchers and support staff. The scientific facilities will be organized into three research wings, including six guest labs to facilitate collaborative research with the scientific community. Conference rooms, a 100-seat auditorium, lounges, and administration offices are centrally located around an open lobby that connects all three floor levels. A large atrium is directly connected to an outdoor terrace on the second floor and provides a central gathering space. Building features also include tropical landscaping, outdoor seating, a 230-space surface parking lot, and pedestrian-friendly pathways connecting the Max Planck Florida Institute to neighboring buildings on the FAU campus. LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the project. Completion is expected in early 2012.