Research and Development

Mayo Clinic is planning a $5 billion redevelopment and expansion of its healthcare campus in Rochester, Minn. Designed by Foster + Partners and CannonDesign, the strategic initiative will introduce new facilities that combine innovative care concepts and digital technologies to transform the patient experience, advance translational research, and improve outcomes. Comprising five new buildings, related infrastructure, and utilities, the project will provide a total of approximately 2.4 million sf of space.

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is constructing a 39,200-sf research facility to catalyze innovation and discovery in engineering, computing, and the sciences. Built to accommodate unknown end users, the two-story structure will offer 18 flexible laboratories that can be customized to support wet, dry, or multimodal programs. The highly adaptable project was designed by HBT Architects, now part of MRB Group. DGA Builders is acting as construction manager with occupancy anticipated in fall of 2024.

The Georgetown Company is planning to construct a 185,000-sf life sciences center in the Hell's Kitchen district of Manhattan in New York City. Created in partnership with Beacon Capital and ZoE Life Sciences, the seven-story facility will provide purpose-built research environments for biomedical and pharmaceutical tenants. The highly collaborative structure will offer flexible floorplates starting at 31,000 sf that can accommodate a variety of lab and office configurations.

The Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association (SEFA) announced the winners of the Lab of the Year Award program in November of 2023. Recognizing the creation of an outstanding laboratory building or complex, the awards reflect the vital contributions of the entire project team, including the facility’s designers, engineers, contractors, material vendors, and client representatives.

Morgan State University is planning to break ground in mid-2025 on the $337 million Science and Research Complex in Baltimore. Designed by Moody Nolan in association with CannonDesign and K. Dixon Architecture, the 246,000-gsf facility will provide next-generation environments for programs in biology and chemistry.

Touchstone is constructing the Chapter Buildings in Seattle to provide Class A lab and office environments in the heart of the University District. Created in partnership with Portman Holdings and Lionstone Investments, the mixed-use project includes the creation of two buildings linked by an 8,000-sf pedestrian thoroughfare. Tenants will enjoy large, open floor plans of up to 31,000 sf with abundant natural light and operable windows.

Breakthrough Properties broke ground in October of 2023 on a 210,000-sf life sciences center in Oxford in the United Kingdom. Designed by Niazi Roden, Trinity by Breakthrough will provide 160,000 sf of Class A lab and office environments complemented by world-class amenities. The six-story facility will offer flexible floorplates of up to 40,000 sf serviced by robust mechanical and electrical systems. A jettied ground floor will create sheltered areas for informal interaction and exchange while maximizing the public outdoor landscape.

Ivanhoé Cambridge and Lendlease are constructing FORUM, a $545 million life sciences center in Boston. Designed by SGA, the nine-story, 350,000-sf building will provide state-of-the-art labs and offices for biomedical and pharmaceutical companies. Offering flexible floorplates spanning 50,000 sf, FORUM will feature a publicly accessible ground level with a café, a lounge, a community living room, and an art gallery.

The University of Florida opened the $150 million Malachowsky Hall for Data Science & Information Technology in Gainesville in November of 2023. Designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and Walker Architects, the 263,440-sf facility is a dynamic catalyst for the application of advanced computing and artificial intelligence technologies to a broad spectrum of industries.

Harvard University celebrated the beginning of construction on the Enterprise Research Campus in November of 2023. Located in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, the mixed-use project will feature leasable lab and office facilities surrounded by inviting public spaces, pedestrian walkways, restaurants, and retail amenities. The nine-acre development is strategically sited next to the Science and Engineering Complex and the Harvard Business School to further enhance the university’s thriving innovation ecosystem.

Merck celebrated the official groundbreaking for the $1.3 billion London Discovery Research Centre in October of 2023. Created in partnership with Precis Advisory, the 10-story, 269,000-sf building will provide 180,000 sf of leased space for the company’s UK headquarters. The vibrant facility will feature state-of-the-art labs, offices, and collaboration spaces where approximately 180 researchers will work alongside 600 employees involved in business development, regulatory compliance, and clinical affairs.

Auburn University will begin construction in late 2023 on the $200 million STEM + Ag Complex in Auburn, Ala. Housing programs for the College of Science and Mathematics and the College of Agriculture, the 285,000-sf complex will accommodate the departments of mathematics and statistics, biological sciences, geosciences, horticulture, entomology and plant pathology, and crop, soil, and environmental sciences. The three-building development will provide wet and dry research labs, offices for principal investigators, collaboration spaces, and shared lab support areas.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities completed construction in November of 2023 on Moderna's global headquarters at One Kendall Square. Designed by NBBJ to be the most sustainable lab building in Cambridge, the 462,100-rsf facility will support the development of innovative mRNA vaccines and therapies. The Class A+ property integrates advanced R&D labs and offices with engaging gathering spaces to promote interaction and collaboration.

Controlling the cost and quality of a project comes down to hiring the right contractors and streamlining the process to get them on board fast. “Everything is about speed.” As for retaining the researchers who will occupy those labs, collaboration spaces and floor-to-ceiling windows might not be as attractive as offering employees a place to eat. Learn the strategies the National Cancer Institute’s Frederick Research Lab employs to manage and design its research facilities. 

SKS Partners is planning to construct the Berkeley Space Center at NASA Research Park in Mountain View. Representing a joint venture with the University of California, Berkeley, the 36-acre innovation hub at Moffett Field will catalyze technological breakthroughs spanning astronautics, aeronautics, quantum computing, climate studies, and the social sciences.