Merck celebrated the beginning of construction for the $325 million Advanced Research Center in April of 2024. Located on the company's Darmstadt headquarters campus in Germany, the biopharmaceutical innovation facility will accelerate the development of novel processes and materials for the production of antibodies, recombinant proteins, and viral vectors. The flexible structure will also drive advances in pharmaceutical purification, formulation, and analytical chromatography.
Designed by HENN as a global model for the laboratory of the future, the building will feature interconnected research and collaboration spaces encircling a soaring atrium. Open office settings will promote teamwork and interaction across disciplinary boundaries.
The sustainable development will leverage photovoltaic installations, a geothermal system, and air-source heat pumps to achieve nearly carbon-neutral operations. Aiming for LEED Gold certification, the project will integrate a high-performance façade and several green roofs. The Advanced Research Center will be able to accommodate 550 employees when it opens in early 2027.
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