SmithGroup

The Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association (SEFA) announced the winners of the Lab of the Year Award program in November of 2023. Recognizing the creation of an outstanding laboratory building or complex, the awards reflect the vital contributions of the entire project team, including the facility’s designers, engineers, contractors, material vendors, and client representatives.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston broke ground in June of 2023 on a $299 million facility for the School of Public Health. Located in the Texas Medical Center’s Helix Park, the 350,000-sf tower will provide leading-edge research labs, collaboration spaces, and classrooms for programs in epidemiology, genetics, nutrition, health policy, data science, and health promotion. Featuring an expansive auditorium, the 10-story building will integrate advanced distance-learning technologies to enable both in-person and remote instruction.

The University of Texas at Arlington opened a $76 million health sciences facility in April of 2023 for the School of Social Work. Featuring flexible, technology-enabled learning environments, the 150,000-sf building includes teaching and research labs, study areas, and offices for faculty and staff. This dynamic nexus of interprofessional education was designed by SmithGroup to enable an innovative pedagogy that enhances collaboration between allied health disciplines. 

The University of Arizona opened the $85 million Applied Research Building April of 2023 in Tucson. Collocating investigators from four colleges and eight departments, the three-story, 89,000-sf structure offers state-of-the-art laboratories for engineering, applied physical sciences, and advanced manufacturing.

Colorado State University opened the 122,000-sf Hydro building in Denver in January of 2023. Located on the Spur campus, this dynamic nexus of water research and innovation will catalyze the discovery of new solutions to pressing environmental challenges. Hord Coplan Macht and SmithGroup designed the interdisciplinary structure, which houses the Western Water Policy Institute, the Salazar Center for North American Conservation, and a 1,900-sf testing lab for Denver Water.