Higher Education

Renovating an old science complex can be a cost-effective way to transform a 1970s relic into an education facility for the 21st century. The Gant Science Complex, built between 1970 and 1974 on the Storrs campus of the University of Connecticut, is big—285,000 sf—but outdated and environmentally inefficient, with an R value in the single digits. It also reflects old-fashioned science teaching and research methods, making it hard to enable the kind of collaborative learning used today.

The University of Connecticut celebrated the opening of the $95 million Engineering and Science Building in June of 2018 in Storrs. Designed by Mitchell Giurgola Architects, the five-story, 118,000-gsf structure provides open-concept laboratories, instructional spaces, collaboration areas, and faculty offices to accommodate STEM programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Memorial University of Newfoundland is building the CAD$36 million Animal Resource Centre in St. Johns. Replacing two existing buildings, the collaborative 26,000-sf research facility will include rodent production and housing areas, surgical suites for small and large animals, physiological testing areas, and an Animal Containment Level 2 environment for behavioral studies. The project was designed by NXL Architects and will accommodate mice, rats, woodchucks, and Yucatan minipigs.

The Pennsylvania State University celebrated the opening of the 93,500-sf Agricultural Engineering Building in June of 2018 in University Park. The $44 million project included a 16,000-sf renovation of the historical front section of the structure, demolition of the remainder of the building, and approximately 77,000 sf of new construction.

Virginia Commonwealth University broke ground on the $93 million Engineering Research Building in June of 2018 in Richmond. Designed by Goody Clancy, Baskervill, and Smith McClane Architects, the collaborative 133,000-sf facility will provide the College of Engineering with teaching and research labs, interaction areas, and offices. Supporting an experiential curriculum, the project will feature the 9,000-sf Innovation Maker Facility housing 3D printers and other prototyping and fabrication technologies.

NYU Langone Health opened the Helen L. & Martin S. Kimmel Pavilion and the Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital in June of 2018 in New York. The 21-story, 830,000-sf Kimmel Pavilion provides 374 private patient rooms, 30 surgical rooms, a conference center, and an outdoor roof terrace. The facility offers acute and critical care services in neuroscience, hematology–oncology, cardiothoracic care, and bone marrow and solid organ transplantation.

The University of Hawaii will begin construction in early 2019 on the Academy for Creative Media in Kapolei. Located on the UH West Oahu campus, the 42,000-sf facility will provide sophisticated production spaces including a two-story sound stage, editing and mixing suites, a 100-seat screening room, and a maker space for set building and 3D printing. The 24-hour center will also include flexible classrooms, collaboration spaces, an emerging media lab for advanced interactive cyber visualization applications, and a student business incubator.

Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences broke ground in June of 2018 on the $33 million Center for Medical Education Innovation. Accommodating physician medical education and interprofessional health science programs, the collaborative four-story facility will include standardized patient rooms, high-fidelity simulation suites, a virtual skills simulation deck, and a simulation command center.

The new 155,000-sf College of Natural Sciences Biology Building at Colorado State University (CSU) provides flexible teaching, research, and student interaction spaces that position the college to continue growing well into the future. Featuring large open floorplans, flexible classroom spaces, and research labs with robust support services, the facility places a premium on functionality and flexibility. Hands-on learning experiences and cutting-edge technologies will help educators transform biology instruction for coming generations.

Northeastern University broke ground in June of 2018 on a $60 million research facility in Burlington, Mass. Located on the Innovation Campus, the three-story, 104,000-sf facility will provide research labs, a meeting area for workshops, and a maker space with 3D printers and other prototyping technologies.

SAB Biotherapeutics will occupy 41,000 sf in University of South Dakota's Discovery District in Sioux Falls. SAB, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, will locate its corporate headquarters, research labs, and a cGMP suite in the 84,000-sf building, which was designed by Perkins+Will and Architecture Incorporated. Alumend, a subsidiary of Avera, will occupy 7,500 sf in the $31 million facility, which will also house the offices of the USD Discovery District and 20,000 sf of leasable space.

The University of Calgary is engaged in a multiyear construction and renovation of its campus core in Alberta, Canada. The MacKimmie Complex and Professional Faculties Building Project includes the complete renovation of an existing tower and block and the construction of a new atrium linking the two structures. The facilities will provide large classrooms, open study areas, and small group spaces to promote collaborative learning.

Highline College will begin construction in summer of 2018 on the 46,000-sf Health and Life Sciences Building in Des Moines. Designed by McGranahan Architects, the $30 million project includes construction of an addition and the complete renovation of Building 26. Providing flexible, integrated learning environments, the completed facility will offer classrooms, labs, faculty offices, and study spaces.

The University of Louisville opened the $78 million Novak Center for Children's Health in June of 2018 in Louisville, Ky. Designed by GBBN in collaboration with Stanley, Beaman & Sears, the eight-story, 176,000-sf facility collocates all general and specialty pediatric services in a single structure to provide patient-centric multidisciplinary care. The technology-rich outpatient center includes clinical research areas, imaging and diagnostic labs, a conference suite, a rooftop garden, and the Wendy L. Novak Diabetes Care Center.

Nottingham Trent University began construction in June of 2018 on two new STEM buildings in Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Located on the Clifton campus, the £22 million Medical Technologies Innovation Facility will provide sophisticated research and development labs, write-up areas, instructional spaces, offices, and a conference room. Designed by GSSArchitecture, the two-story interdisciplinary building will accommodate industry partnerships to accelerate the commercialization of new health technologies.