Industry News

Rice University opened the $38 million Kraft Hall for Social Sciences in February of 2020 in Houston. Designed by Rogers Partners, the four-story, 78,000-sf building provides five state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, seminar and conference rooms, student lounges, administrative and faculty offices, and a multipurpose venue able to accommodate 300 people.

The Center for Sustainable Landscapes at Phipps Conservatory has attained BREEAM Outstanding certification. The 24,350-sf research, education, and administration facility is the first project in the United States to be awarded the rating, and is the first in the world to meet four other sustainability standards, including The Living Building Challenge, WELL Building Platinum, SITES Platinum, and LEED Platinum.

The University of Washington is planning to construct the $100 million Health Sciences Education Building in Seattle. Designed by Miller Hull Partnership and The S/L/A/M Collaborative, the four-story structure will provide nearly 100,000 sf of innovative teaching space for interprofessional education programs.

Baylor University broke ground in February of 2020 on the $75 million Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center in Waco, Texas. Designed by Populous, the 125,000-sf complex will be a vibrant campus hub for academic, cultural, social, and alumni activities.

Audentes Therapeutics is planning to construct a $109 million gene therapy manufacturing facility in Sanford, N.C. The 135,000-sf project will support the production of genetic medicines based on adeno-associated virus vectors for the treatment of rare neuromuscular diseases. The center is expected to be operational by 2021. Audentes Therapeutics is a subsidiary of Astellas Pharma.