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.
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.
Texas Tech University is planning to build a $90 million facility for the School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo. Located at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, the two-building complex will include a clinical skills training center for large animal procedures. The school will accommodate 60 students per year for a total enrollment of 240 for the four-year program, as well as serving up to 200 graduate students who are not seeking a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Construction could begin as early as fall of 2019 with completion in fall of 2021.
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.
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology will break ground in October of 2018 on a $29 million academic building in Terre Haute, Ind. Featuring a glass-walled atrium to showcase internal activities, the three-story, 60,000-sf facility will provide design studios, collaborative workspaces, faculty research suites, breakout rooms, and six flexible classrooms.
Iowa State University is planning a $28 million expansion of the Gerdin Business Building in Ames. Designed to enhance programmatic visibility, the collaborative 40,000-sf addition will provide classrooms, faculty offices, computer labs, study spaces, and a multipurpose atrium. The original structure was designed by ZGF Architects and completed in 2003. Construction will begin on the project in spring of 2019 with completion expected by 2021.
Memorial University is building the $325 million Core Science Facility in St. John's, Newfoundland. Designed by HOK Architects and Hearn Fougere Architects to promote integration and interaction, the multidisciplinary project comprises three tower blocks offering teaching and research labs, offices, and technology-rich learning environments for the departments of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and electrical and computer engineering.
Active learning, collaborative spaces, real-world connections, a purposeful focus on “soft skills,” and a grounding in liberal arts and sciences all combine in Jefferson’s Nexus Learning approach to develop and support work-ready graduates. “Nexus Learning is based on a suite of strategies that ensures our graduates are prepared to succeed in their professions or graduate school,” says Jeffrey Ashley, PhD, chemistry professor and director of the Center for Teaching Innovation and Nexus Learning at Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University). Nexus Learning appears to be on target in this mission, with 97 percent of undergraduates working in their disciplines or accepted to graduate school within four months of graduation.
Wittenberg University is building the $53 million Health, Wellness & Athletics Complex in Springfield, Ohio. The 260,000-sf facility will provide technology-rich classrooms for academic programs in exercise science and sports management, faculty offices, training areas for sports teams, locker rooms, and a fitness center with a 7,000-sf weight room. The complex will feature a six-lane, 300-meter indoor track, a 100-yard artificial turf surface, and courts for tennis, volleyball, and basketball.
The University of Birmingham broke ground in August of 2018 on a 136,500-sf facility for the School of Engineering in the United Kingdom. Located on the Edgbaston campus, the building will provide 26,900 sf of dedicated research space for the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN). Designed by Associated Architects to promote innovation through collaboration with industry partners, the facility will include labs, design studios, and meeting spaces arranged around an atrium containing flexible learning environments.
UT Southwestern Medical Center and Texas Health Resources are partnering to build the $270 million Texas Health Hospital Frisco. The 325,000-sf complex will offer an 80-bed acute care hospital with a 24/7 emergency department, surgical services, women’s services, and a neonatal intensive care unit. A 120,000-sf medical office will accommodate multiple medical specialties including space for the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. Occupancy is expected in late 2019.
The University of Pennsylvania is building the $75 million Wharton Academic Research Building in Philadelphia. Designed by MGA Partners, the 65,000-gsf project will provide four flours of academic and research space, including flat-floor classrooms, group study areas, laboratories, and shared conference rooms. On the ground level, a new electrical substation and enclosed loading dock will be built to replace existing facilities. Construction began on the project in spring of 2018 and completion is expected in summer of 2020.
