Now that we know working from home works, how can employers entice workers back into the office? The answer lies in pilot studies and data analysis that focus on the collaborative, activity-based work spaces that make the commute worth their while.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison opened a 145,000-sf expansion of the School of Veterinary Medicine in November of 2023. Designed by Flad Architects and Foil Wyatt Architects & Planners, the three-story addition connects to the original building at each level, doubling the size of the small animal hospital and tripling the space dedicated to infectious disease research. Laboratories for basic discovery are complemented by ABSL-3, BSL-3, and BSL-2 environments for working with influenza, SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, and more.
The University of California, Davis, transformed a vacant 1920s-era agricultural engineering building in need of seismic repair into a much-needed hub for graduate and post-graduate students—reinforced to be resilient and sustainable enough to be awarded LEED Platinum.
The University of Hawaii at Manoa opened the $70 million Residences for Innovative Student Entrepreneurs (RISE) in August of 2023 in Honolulu. Leveraging the power of interdisciplinary collaboration to promote new venture success, the 117,000-sf building features a 7,263-sf multipurpose venue with a maker lab for prototyping and design. The six-story structure also offers co-working zones, meeting areas, and a classroom. On the upper floors, a 219-unit dormitory provides 374 beds for undergraduate and graduate students from across the UH System.
Ground was officially broken in July of 2023 on the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre (ASEC) in Moncton, New Brunswick. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects in association with EXP, the CAD$350 million project will transform the existing Gulf Fisheries Centre into a four-story complex equipped with modern laboratories and technologies.
How do you respect your campus’ architectural heritage while creating innovative spaces that will serve faculty and students for generations to come? Successfully balancing these demands means realizing what’s possible, studying the history and styles of existing campus buildings, and actively engaging stakeholders to understand their vision for the institution's future. The options run the gamut, from blending in with the historic landscape to creating an entirely new statement for the campus.
The National Institutes of Health broke ground in May of 2023 on a $630 million addition to the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda. Designed by HOK, the Surgery, Radiology, and Laboratory Medicine Wing will enable the discovery of innovative diagnostics, therapies, and cures for a wide range of diseases and conditions.
University College London is constructing IoN-DRI, a £281.6 million neuroscience center where 500 clinicians and investigators will work together to translate research discoveries into innovative solutions for patient care. The interdisciplinary complex will collocate the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (IoN), the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI), and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) has made fighting climate change a top priority for its 250-acre campus in Kamloops, British Columbia. University leaders have committed that TRU will become a net-zero campus and be fossil fuel free by 2030. To that end, it is replacing fossil-fuel-powered heating and cooling with a new low-carbon district energy system (LCDES) that includes a combination of heat pumps powered by renewable electricity. TRU officials and others believe electrification through district energy is the most impactful way for institutions to wean themselves off fossil fuels.
The Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine will break ground in summer of 2023 on a $375 million research complex in the Oxford in the United Kingdom. Designed by Foster & Partners, the highly collaborative campus will enable teams of investigators and physicians to reimagine cancer treatment while enhancing overall human health.
Repurposing non-research facilities to house specialized life sciences and therapeutics labs is a growing trend sparked by real estate inventory and the fiscal practicality of renovation rather than new construction. The vacancy rate throughout the United States for lab space in the fourth quarter of 2022 was 6 percent versus 19.5 percent for office space, according to the Jones Lang LaSalle real estate transparency index. The vacancy rates for 2021 were less than 4 percent for labs and approximately 15 percent for offices.
Life science laboratories are increasingly embracing the idea of moving into high-rise settings in city centers, filling space in new construction, or renovating office space left vacant, in part, by the many companies opting to continue to work from home following the pandemic. High-rise laboratories in urban settings offer many advantages related to recruiting top talent, the ease of city amenities, and abundant transportation options, says Matthew Decker, AIA, architect for CRB in Plymouth Meeting, Penn. But they also pose challenges, including strict building codes for hazardous materials, and infrastructure concerns that can affect placement of lab equipment, HVAC systems, and utilities.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is constructing the 65,000-sf Hamilton and Amabel James Center for Artificial Intelligence and Human Health in New York. Designed by HOK, the project includes the redevelopment of a former nursing residence into a world-class research hub that will drive innovation in genomics, precision imaging, and multiscale disease modeling. The 12-story facility will become the first of its kind within a U.S. medical school when it opens in late 2023.
Stanford University broke ground in March of 2023 on a consolidated home for the Graduate School of Education. Designed by William Rawn Associates and CAW Architects, the project includes the construction of a four-story, 42,700-sf structure and a complete renovation of the three-story, 97,547-sf Education Building. The vibrant 150,000-sf complex will also integrate the existing Barnum Center for Family and Community Partnerships, with a 13,500-sf landscaped courtyard connecting the three buildings.
The University of Utah broke ground in February of 2023 on the Applied Sciences Project in Salt Lake City. Designed by EDA, the $93.5 million endeavor includes renovation of 40,700 sf in the historic William Stewart Building and construction of a 100,000-sf teaching and research facility. The integrated complex will feature wet and dry labs where teams of scientists will address the country’s most urgent issues, from energy and climate change to air quality and water management.
