Higher Education

The Physical Sciences Building (PSB) is a new research laboratory for the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The 95,000-gsf facility supports scientific discovery in the fields of materials science, condensed matter and nuclear physics, and organic and inorganic chemistry. It contains state-of-the-art high bay physics research labs, synthetic chemistry research labs, extensive core support labs, offices, student work areas, and collaboration space. Housing 20 faculty-led research groups with a total of 130 bench positions, the PSB is a pivotal part of the school’s Comprehensive Science and Engineering Master Plan.

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.

Washington State University broke ground in September of 2018 on the $61.3 million Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Pullman. Built as an addition to the existing Paul G. Allen Center for Global Animal Health, the 62,500-sf project will accommodate the detection and diagnosis of zoonotic diseases and infectious agents such as avian influenza, BSE, foot and mouth disease, West Nile virus, and pandemic flu. The facility will also house teaching labs for programs in veterinary medicine. Completion is expected by January of 2021.

Yale University is planning to renovate and expand the Peabody Museum of Natural History in New Haven, Conn. Designed by Centerbrook Architects and Planners, the project will increase exhibition space by over 50 percent, as well as providing new labs and classrooms for collections-based programs. A four-story addition featuring fritted glass and bronzed aluminum framing will be constructed, creating a connection to the adjacent Environmental Science Center.

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.

Nova Southeastern University is building a $200 million health sciences complex in Clearwater, Fla. Ground was broken in March of 2018 on the 325,000-sf facility, which will house the colleges of osteopathic medicine, nursing, health care sciences, psychology, and education. The project team includes Baker Barrios Architects, general contractor Moss & Associates, Florida Design Consultants, Finfrock Construction, and Cox Fire Protection.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse opened the $82 million Prairie Springs Science Center in September of 2018. Designed by SmithGroupJJR and River Architects, the 187,000-sf facility houses the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Geography/Earth Science, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, and River Studies, as well as accommodating the offices of the Dean of the College of Science and Health.

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.

The University of Toronto opened the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship in September of 2018. Designed by Montgomery Sisam Architects and Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, the CAD$200 million project features a four-story atrium, TEAL classrooms for technology-enhanced active learning, design studios, fabrication and prototyping facilities, and a 468-seat auditorium.

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.