Higher Education

The University of Birmingham began construction in January of 2017 on the £40 million Collaborative Teaching Laboratory in the United Kingdom. Designed by Sheppard Robson, the two-story, 72,120-sf facility will accommodate STEM programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The interdisciplinary building will provide wet labs, dry labs, and an e-lab in a technology-rich environment supporting team-based education. The general contractor is Morgan Sindall and completion is expected in of 2019.

Rolls-Royce will open a 33,000-sf research facility in March of 2017 in West Lafayette, Ind. Supporting collaboration with faculty and students from Purdue University, the center is located in a 55,000-sf building in the Purdue Research Park Aerospace District. The facility will accommodate the design, development, and testing of jet engine components, as well as research into alternative fuels. Construction was completed in December of 2016. 

The University of Arizona is building the $165 million Health Sciences Innovation Building in Tucson. Designed by CO Architects, the ten-story, 226,000-sf facility will feature simulation training suites for programs in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and public health. A minimum of LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the fast-track project, which will also provide clinical laboratories and a variety of group learning areas.

Bucks County Community College opened its $17 million Science Center in January of 2017 in Newtown Township, Pa. Designed by KCBA Architects to support STEM programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the 43,000-sf facility provides four student collaboration spaces and ten laboratories, including a biotechnology suite with adjoining rooms for instrumentation and tissue culture. The two-story center utilizes glass walls to enhance visibility and features a geothermal heating and cooling system.

Mount Wachusett Community College opened the $41 million Daniel M. Asquino Science Center in December of 2016 in Gardner, Mass. Supporting STEM programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the project included construction of a 44,000-gsf addition providing classrooms, faculty offices, study spaces, and teaching labs for biology, chemistry, physics, microbiology, earth science, and anatomy and physiology. The existing Arthur F. Haley Academic Center was also renovated and an adjacent 2,300-sf greenhouse was built.

• Major Trends in Research Facility Planning and Design
• NIH Receives a $2 Billion Funding Boost
• The Next-Next Generation Workplace
• Intel Designs Next Generation Workplace for Recruitment and Retention
• Transforming Existing Spaces into Active Learning Classrooms  
• Future Proofing Vivarium Space Through Flexible Design
• University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s New Space Allocation System
• “Super Lab” Improves Student Learning, Challenges Faculty Adaptability
• Maker Spaces: The Bridge Between Higher Education and Industry
• UPenn Replaces the HVAC System of a Fully Occupied, Operational Chemistry Facility

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center completed construction in January of 2017 on the $36.7 million Interprofessional Simulation and Patient Safety Center in Memphis. Designed by BRG3S and built by Flintco, the 45,000-sf facility will enable students from UTHSC’s six colleges to engage in team-based training programs in a simulated acute-care hospital with inpatient rooms, surgical suites, and labor and delivery rooms.

Skidmore College is planning to build the $100 million Center for Integrated Sciences in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Designed by Payette, the 200,000-sf project will support programs in biology, chemistry, physics, neuroscience, psychology, geoscience, environmental science, mathematics, computer science, and health and exercise science.

Michigan State University will begin construction in August of 2017 on the $100 million Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building in East Lansing. Supporting STEM programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the five-story, 170,000-sf facility will provide wet bench laboratories, offices, computational research space, and collaboration areas. Completion is expected in August of 2019.

Imperial College London began construction in early 2017 on the £70 million Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Research Hub in London. Designed by Allies & Morrison, the collaborative 14-story building will provide flexible laboratories, an outpatient clinic, an auditorium, and interaction spaces. Located on the White City campus, the 215,000-sf translational research facility will be built to attain BREEAM sustainable design certification and will feature a highly efficient service model with interconnected utility plants on each floor.

The University of California, Irvine began construction in December of 2016 on the $46 million Anteater Learning Pavilion. Designed by LMN Architects, the 70,000-sf project includes a two-story structure with two active-learning lecture halls and a three-story structure with classrooms, offices, and interaction space. The collaborative facility is illuminated by abundant natural light and will offer a variety of interaction areas and reconfigurable spaces.

The University of Calgary opened the CAD$174 million Canadian Natural Resources Limited Engineering Complex in November of 2016 in Alberta, Canada. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, the expansion project comprises a 197,000-sf addition and 119,000 sf of renovated space for the Schulich School of Engineering. The collaborative facility features a programmable dynamic view glass façade and provides two new floors of research laboratories for the study of renewable energy resources and the development of clean energy technologies.

Adelphi University celebrated the opening of the $76 million Nexus Building in December of 2016 in Garden City, N.Y. Designed by Ballinger, the collaborative 100,000-sf facility houses the College of Nursing and Public Health, the Center for Health Innovation, and a hub for core student services. The project also provides clinical simulation suites, research and informatics laboratories, and over 15 contemporary learning spaces.

The University of Melbourne is engaged in a 54,000-sf expansion of the Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute. Created in partnership with Australian biopharmaceutical firm CSL, the AUD$36.4 million project will house the CSL Global Hub for Research and Translational Medicine, which will feature advanced technologies for the creation of personalized medicine solutions. Completion is expected in mid-2017.

Texas Tech University is planning to build the $62 million Medical Science Building II in El Paso. Designed by Perkins+Will, the 227,000-sf facility will provide advanced research laboratories, classrooms, lecture halls, faculty and investigator offices, and support space. The general contractor for the project, which will include utility infrastructure and parking improvements, is Sundt Construction.