Collaboration

WABCO opened the $30 million Global Technology and Innovation Center in August of 2018 in Hanover, Germany. Accommodating over 420 employees, the 124,000-sf R&D hub will provide engineering and product development labs for the creation of automotive technologies. Designed to promote collaboration and interaction, the center will support the development of advanced safety and efficiency systems for autonomous, connected, and electric commercial vehicles. Additionally, WABCO opened a customer care center in July of 2018 in Rochester Hills, Mich.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham opened the School of Nursing in September of 2018. Designed by Payette in collaboration with Williams Blackstock Architects, the $32 million project included renovation of an existing structure and construction of a 72,000-sf addition to provide leading-edge classrooms, research labs, offices, and collaboration spaces. The Nursing Competency Suite accommodates simulation training and testing activities, and the Innovation Collaboratory offers interactive workstations for group learning and discovery.

The University of Tennessee opened the $118 million Ken and Blaire Mossman Building in September of 2018 in Knoxville. Designed by McCarty Holsaple McCarty and Lord Aeck Sargent to promote interdepartmental collaboration, the six-story, 222,000-sf facility accommodates programs in microbiology, biochemistry, psychology, nutrition, and cellular and molecular biology.

The University of Washington opened the Life Sciences Building in Seattle in September of 2018. Designed by Perkins+Will, the collaborative facility provides five floors above grade and two subterranean levels for the Department of Biology. The 207,000-sf project comprises a 187,000-sf teaching and research building and a 20,000-sf greenhouse. Providing a gateway between the main and south campus, the facility features a five-story glass atrium with a communicating stair to promote interaction among students and faculty.

Bradley University is constructing the $100 million Business and Engineering Complex in Peoria, Ill. Featuring flexible learning spaces to promote interaction, the 270,000-sf facility will house the Foster College of Business, the Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology, and the Institute for Innovation through Collaboration.

The University of Louisville opened the $80 million Belknap Academic Building in August of 2018 in Louisville, Ky. The four-story, 169,420-gsf facility provides 50 classrooms, including 20 state-of-the-art active learning classrooms. The building also houses a student success center, a multipurpose teacher space, 11 group study rooms, seven seminar rooms, six chemistry labs, four biology labs, three physics labs, an anthropology/physics lab, and several interaction lounges. Site work began on the project in September of 2016.

Indiana University School of Medicine dedicated the $70 million Stone Family Center for Health Sciences in August of 2018. Located in downtown Evansville, the four-story, 141,000-sf building was created in partnership with the University of Southern Indiana and the University of Evansville. The facility features a 150-seat auditorium, a spacious atrium, advanced simulation training suites, a dental clinic, classrooms, offices, and laboratories for teaching and research. Ground was broken on the project in October of 2015.

Universities and businesses have worked together for decades. Today, changes in funding and in STEM career paths have made those partnerships more attractive than ever—so attractive, in fact, that many institutions are planning new spaces specifically for them. With limits on government funding in recent years, and state and local funding stagnant, many institutions are seeing 25 to 30 percent of their research funding coming from outside sources, primarily private industry. That has led to more elaborate and specific consideration of industry partnerships as a part of strategic planning.

NASA Glenn Research Center will begin construction in fall of 2018 on the Research Support Building in Cleveland. Walsh Construction Company has been awarded a $32.7 million contract to build the two-story, 64,000-sf facility, which will provide collaborative engineering suites, open and private offices, conference rooms, training areas, and dining amenities for approximately 164 employees.

Mercyhurst University opened the MCPc Cyber Education Center in August of 2018 in Erie, Pa. Accommodating programs for the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences, the $2 million facility houses MCPc's Security Operations Center as well as providing two computer mathematics labs, a cybersecurity lab, and several collaboration areas. Designed by Keyman Asefi, a faculty member in the department of Interior Architecture and Design, the 8,000-sf center is located on the ground floor of Hammermill Library.

The United Kingdom's Medical Research Council is planning to build the £75 million London Institute of Medical Sciences. Designed by Hawkins\Brown, the 110,000-sf project will provide collaborative biomedical research facilities including two CL-2 biocontainment labs, vibration-mitigated imaging suites, core biotechnology labs, write-up areas, and a data center. The nine-story facility is being created in partnership with Imperial College London and will accommodate up to 45 research groups currently dispersed around Hammersmith Hospital.

Montana State University opened the $18.2 million Rendezvous Dining Pavilion in August of 2018 in Bozeman. Offering eight serving stations, the 30,000-sf facility provides seating for 830 people, including a mezzanine level with a deck offering 100 outdoor seats. Housing sports lounges and a variety of interaction spaces, the pavilion features a 20-foot screen to accommodate game day gatherings and other events.

Exact Sciences broke ground in August of 2018 on its new corporate headquarters in Madison, Wis. Located in the University Research Park developed by UW Madison, the five-story, 138,000-sf Innovation One facility will be fully leased by Exact Sciences. The $60 million project was designed by Valerio Dewalt Train Associates and is being built by general contractor Findorff.

Appalachian State University opened the $79 million Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences in August of 2018 in Boone, N.C. Designed by LS3P, the five-story, 203,000-gsf project provides consolidated teaching and research space for the Beaver College of Health Sciences.

Simon Fraser University is constructing the Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering Program (SE3P) building in Surrey, British Columbia. Designed by Revery Architecture with Research Facilities Design as laboratory design consultant, the CAD$116 million fast-track project is being constructed with 330 precast concrete architectural components supplied by Surespan Structures.