Nanotronics opened its 45,000-sf headquarters and manufacturing hub in May of 2021 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. Seamlessly integrating research, development, and production activities, the technology-rich facility supports the creation of smart factory hardware and software that combines robotics, optical microscopy, artificial intelligence, and machine learning platforms.
Rochester Institute of Technology broke ground in spring of 2021 on the $120 million Student Hall for Exploration and Development in Rochester, N.Y. Designed by William Rawn Associates, the SHED will feature a large maker space where students can prototype new technologies and collaborate on engineering projects. Providing 1,500 classroom seats, the 100,000-sf structure will offer five 150-seat learning venues and 22 standard-size flexible classrooms.
Middle Tennessee State University broke ground in April of 2021 on the $40.1 million School of Concrete and Construction Management in Murfreesboro. Designed by Orcutt Winslow, the 54,000-sf building will feature sophisticated labs and classrooms for the school's innovative programs in concrete industry management and construction management. The facility will also provide faculty and staff offices as well as an open-air work yard for experiential learning.
The University of Michigan opened the $75 million Ford Motor Company Robotics Building in March of 2021 in Ann Arbor. As the new home of the U-M Robotics Institute, the 134,000-sf facility provides the College of Engineering with collaborative R&D labs, maker spaces, high-bay research areas, a three-story fly zone for autonomous aerial vehicles, a Mars yard for rover and lander prototyping, and an outdoor obstacle course for walking robots.
Virginia Tech broke ground in March of 2021 on the Data and Decision Sciences Building in Blacksburg. Designed by Moseley Architects, the 115,000-gsf facility will feature a multilevel commons, specialized laboratories, data visualization classrooms, and interdisciplinary team rooms for collaborative student projects. Kjellstrom and Lee is the general contractor for the structure, which will collocate the university's programs in computer science, engineering, and data-related disciplines. Completion is expected in 2023.
The University of California, Irvine opened the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building in February of 2021. Designed by LMN Architects with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the 204,750-sf facility houses the Samueli School of Engineering, the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Science, and the School of Physical Sciences.
Heriot Watt University began construction in March of 2021 on the National Robotarium in Edinburgh in the United Kingdom. Designed by Michael Laird Architects, the 40,000-sf building will accommodate innovative research programs in robotics, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence. Created in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, the center of excellence will enable academics, engineers, and industry partners to address a wide range of global challenges.
North Carolina State University completed construction in February of 2021 on the $150 million Fitts-Woolard Hall in Raleigh. The 225,000-sf teaching and research facility provides over 100 classrooms and laboratories for the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering and the Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.
James Cook University began construction in March of 2021 on the AUD$94 million Technology Innovation Complex in Townsville, Queensland. Designed by KIRK Architects in association with i4 Architecture and Charles Wright Architects, the four-story, 101,180-sf building will provide flexible multimodal environments for STEM programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The University of British Columbia is planning to construct the CAD$136 million School of Biomedical Engineering Building on the Point Grey campus in Vancouver. The 151,305-gsf facility will accommodate teaching and research labs, collaboration spaces, meeting rooms, and offices. Featuring innovative learning venues for undergraduate and graduate programs, the building will provide classrooms, a 250-seat lecture hall, and a central atrium for informal learning and interaction.
The University of Texas at San Antonio broke ground in January of 2021 on a $90 million facility for the School of Data Science and the National Security Collaboration Center. Designed by Jacobs and Overland Partners, the six-story, 167,000-sf structure will provide the School of Data Science with 86,000 sf of classrooms, labs, and offices for the departments of computer science, computer engineering, statistics and data sciences, and information systems and cybersecurity.
The University of Miami is constructing the $60 million Frost Institute of Chemical and Molecular Science in Coral Gables, Fla. Designed by Harvard Jolly Architecture, the five-story, 94,000-sf facility will include a central gathering area, seminar rooms, a microscopy imaging suite, innovation labs, and investigator offices. The highly flexible structure will feature open wet lab environments with moveable benches and fixtures. Overhead service carriers will supply power and gas to the lab benches for optimal reconfigurability.
Universal Robots is partnering with Mobile Industrial Robots to create a research and development campus in Odense, Denmark. Designed by 3XN to promote knowledge exchange and enhance employee wellbeing, the 215,000-sf Cobot Hub will offer flexible modules that can be tailored to provide the two companies with specialized labs, workshops, maker spaces, and open office environments.
Western Colorado University opened the Paul M. Rady School of Computer Science and Engineering in Gunnison in January of 2021. Designed by Farnsworth Group with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the 75,000-sf building provides experiential learning classrooms, laboratories, instrumentation suites, lecture halls, collaboration spaces, faculty offices, and a central gallery with a canted glass curtainwall.
Manchester Metropolitan University began construction in January of 2021 on the Science and Engineering Building in the United Kingdom. Designed by BDP, the seven-story, 160,000-sf facility will provide teaching and research labs, instructional venues, a 200-seat super lab, academic offices, collaboration spaces, self-directed learning areas, and a central atrium.
