Research and Development

An evolution of the equipment and technology researchers need is transforming ordinary labs into facilities that deserve to be called next-generation or future-ready. Significant changes in space utilization and lab planning and design are driven by increased automation and robotics, the incorporation of manufacturing, enhanced information technology with an emphasis on data collection, ever-evolving technologies, developer core/shell fit-outs, hybrid work patterns, and different approaches to project delivery and construction. 

The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais) is constructing Orion, a BSL-4 laboratory complex in Campinas. Enabling the detection, study, and mitigation of pathogens and infectious disease agents, the USD185 million project will reinforce national sovereignty in response to current and future health crises and promote collaboration with the global scientific community.

Moderna completed construction on a £150 million complex in the United Kingdom for the discovery and production of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19 and emerging respiratory health threats. Located on the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) comprises two 145,000-sf buildings for research, development, and manufacturing.

Johns Hopkins University is planning to construct a 476,572-sf facility for the Data Science and AI Institute (DSAI) on the Homewood Campus in Baltimore. Designed by ZGF, this global hub for research and discovery will bring together experts in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science and translation, applied mathematics, and computer science and engineering.

BioMed Realty is constructing a 637,000-sf life sciences facility in Cambridge for Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Designed by CBT Architects, the 16-story structure will provide advanced lab and office environments to accelerate the creation of innovative therapies and vaccines. Featuring flexible spaces to optimize in-person interaction and connection in a hybrid working model, the leased building furthers Takeda’s goal of unifying their Global R&D Center in Kendall Square.

Ohio University began construction in January of 2025 on the $75 million Heritage Translational Research Center (HTRC) in Athens. Designed by Perkins&Will and DesignGroup, the 80,000-sf facility will consolidate laboratories and operations currently dispersed across campus, creating a collaborative ecosystem for clinical innovation. The four-story structure will provide bench space for translational biomedical research, as well as labs and support spaces for population health and clinical research.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore opened a 250,000-sf innovation center in January of 2024 to drive biomedical advances and accelerate the discovery of new health solutions. Developed and operated by Wexford Science + Technology, 4MLK serves as the gateway to the UM BioPark and will offer leasable space for life science and technology companies.

The University of Alabama will begin construction in early 2025 on a new High Performance Computing and Data Center (HPC) to serve academic needs, strategic partners, and the Office of Research and Economic Development. Designed by Davis Architects, the 40,000-gsf structure will house the fastest supercomputer in Alabama, a petascale system capable of performing quadrillions of calculations per second.

The New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering, and Science (NY CREATES) is constructing the 310,000-sf NanoFab Reflection (NFR) facility in Albany, N.Y. Representing an expansion of the existing Albany NanoTech Complex, the four-story research and development building will feature a 50,000-sf ISO 5 cleanroom, complemented by approximately 50,000 sf of non-clean sub-fab space.

The past few decades have brought myriad technological changes to our daily lives, and experts predict the pace of change will only increase—especially in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Much of the talk surrounding AI focuses on automating repetitive processes and analyzing data, which require additional computational power but not necessarily structural modifications. But emerging technologies, including AI and robotics, may require universities and companies to rethink their approach to designing and planning buildings and labs.

Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed), home to North America’s largest baboon population dedicated to research, has opened a new primate research facility focused on animal welfare, human safety, and operational efficiency as guiding principles. The new Animal Care Complex (ACC) includes three modular breeding and holding facilities, each with a capacity of up to 300 animals of multiple species. The spacious facility has five indoor rooms which range from 400 to 800 sf, and outdoor yards as big as 5,500 sf. 

The U.S. Department of Energy is constructing the Stable Isotope Production and Research Center (SIPRC) on the main campus of Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. Designed by Gresham Smith, the $325 million facility will address a critical need for stable isotopes in medicine, science, industry, and security. SIPRC will be the nation’s first domestic production facility for enriched stable isotopes since 1998 and will reduce current dependence on diminishing reserves and foreign suppliers. 

Siemens Mobility will begin construction in early 2025 on a £100 million innovation center for rail infrastructure in Chippenham, U.K. Designed by Arup and AHR, the digitally enabled complex will provide world-class R&D labs for the creation of novel transit solutions. Integrated research, testing, and factory environments will accelerate the production of the next generation of signaling and control systems for the United Kingdom.

Healthpeak Properties recently opened a world-class amenities center called The Hangar on the Vantage life science campus in South San Francisco. Flad Architects' vision for the 40,000-sf facility has created a dynamic hub for interaction and relaxation, complete with a full-service rooftop bar, a food hall, a fitness center, and more. A dramatic design inspired by airplane hangars honors the area's industrial past and its role as the birthplace of biotechnology.

The University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre finished construction in November of 2024 on an open-access innovation facility for aerospace R&D in the United Kingdom. Expanding the capabilities of the adjacent Factory 2050, the 29,700-sf structure will initially house the Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS) initiative. An expansive factory environment will enable academic, government, and industry partners to work side-by-side, complemented by individual workshops and ancillary spaces.