The University of Maryland began construction in early 2011 on the $128 million Physical Sciences Complex in College Park. The 158,068-sf complex will house labs and offices for the Department of Physics, the Department of Astronomy, and the Institute for Physical Science and Technology (IPST). The first phase of construction includes a four-story tower connected to the adjacent Computer and Space Sciences Building and an underground core research facility. Designed to minimize electromagnetic interference and vibration, the interdisciplinary project will support research in biophysics, laser physics, condensed physics, and quantum physics.
The collaborative facility was designed by HDR. Completion is expected in July of 2013. The Physical Sciences Complex will house 18 prep labs (9,700 sf), 27 laser and condensed matter labs (16,400 sf), and eight biophysics labs (4,300 sf). Subsequent phases of construction will replace the existing IPST building with additional classroom space.
