Research and Development

Manchester Metropolitan University will begin construction in spring of 2021 on the £65 million Science and Engineering building in the United Kingdom. The seven-story academic facility will provide teaching and research labs, instructional spaces, a 200-seat super lab, academic offices, collaboration spaces, and self-directed learning areas. Designed as a living laboratory, the structure will house the Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre and PrintCity, the university’s 3D additive and digital manufacturing technology hub.

Samsung Electronics broke ground in March of 2020 on a $220 million research and development center in Hanoi, Vietnam. The 860,000-sf facility will support the creation of innovative mobile devices and applications, as well as providing laboratories for the study of artificial intelligence, big data, the internet of things, and 5G technologies. Comprising 16 stories above ground and three floors below grade, the building will include a staff gym, a rooftop garden, and a clubhouse. Completion is expected in late 2022.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority opened the 47,360-sf Research and Development Centre in March of 2020. Located at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in the United Arab Emirates, the four-story facility offers laboratories for the development of leading-edge technologies for solar power, smart grid integration, energy efficiency, and water management systems. Accelerating the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the center will enable the creation of innovative 3D printing and additive manufacturing modalities.

The University of Illinois at Chicago will begin construction in spring of 2021 on the $118 million Computer Design Research and Learning Center. Designed by Booth Hansen and LMN Architects, the 125,000-sf facility will provide flexible classrooms, lecture halls, dry research labs, design studios, faculty and staff offices, and collaboration areas.

Arizona State University broke ground on the $118 million ASU Downtown Phoenix Residence Hall and Entrepreneurial Center in March of 2020. Designed by Studio Ma, the 16-story, 248,000-sf structure will include a three-story innovation hub providing studios, maker spaces, workshops, classrooms, offices, and event venues for the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts. The building will also offer residential accommodation for up to 530 students and visiting professionals on the remaining 13 floors.

Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies began construction in March of 2020 on a $14.5 million campus in Billingham in the United Kingdom. Designed by Ryder Architecture, the project will support the creation of innovative biologic, vaccine, and gene therapy products. Accommodating approximately 300 employees, the campus will feature a 42,000-sf office building with an inviting welcome center. Completion is expected in March of 2021. Additional R&D laboratories and manufacturing facilities will be delivered in a subsequent phase of development. 

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is building the 54,650-gsf Center for Dairy Research. Designed by Zimmerman Architectural Studios to support collaborative development with industry partners, the three-story addition to Babcock Hall will house research labs, instructional spaces, dairy processing suites, small-scale production lines, nine rooms for specialty cheese ripening, and an auditorium for training programs and colloquia.

Oregon Health & Science University is constructing the $50 million Elks Children's Eye Clinic Building in Portland. Designed by NBBJ, the freestanding 64,000-sf building will be physically connected to the existing Casey Eye Institute by a striking glass sky bridge. The five-story structure will accommodate translational research labs, an 11,500-sf pediatric eye clinic, and space for clinical trials.

Amicus Therapeutics opened the $25 million Global Research and Gene Therapy Center of Excellence in March of 2020 in Philadelphia. Accommodating up to 200 employees, the 75,000-sf project provides collaborative labs and offices to support the discovery and development of new therapies for rare metabolic diseases.

The University of Newcastle began construction in February of 2020 on a AUD$25 million facility for the School of Creative Industries in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Designed by EJE Architecture, the four-story building will provide a maker space, research labs, studios, a co-working environment, seminar and conference rooms, flexible and informal learning spaces, and a café. Located in the AUD$500 millon Honeysuckle City Campus Development, the project will also house the region's Integrated Innovation Network Hub.

Washington University in St. Louis broke ground on a $616 million neuroscience research center in March of 2020. Designed by Perkins+Will and CannonDesign, the 609,000-sf building will accommodate over 100 research teams in collaborative neighborhoods to promote interaction. Strategically sited between the university's medical campus and the Cortex Innovation Community, the 11-story facility will house approximately 900 investigators from the departments of neurology, neuroscience, neurosurgery, psychiatry, and anesthesiology.

The Chemours Company, a specialty chemical manufacturer, opened the $150 million Discovery Hub in March of 2020 in Newark, Del. Supporting collaborative research, commercialization, and training initiatives, the 312,000-sf facility is located on the University of Delaware’s Science, Technology, and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus. Accommodating 330 investigators, the innovation center houses 130 labs, offices, huddle rooms, conference spaces, and cafés.

East Carolina University is constructing the $90 million Life Sciences and Biotechnology Building in Greenville, N.C. Designed by Lord Aeck Sargent, the 141,500-sf facility will provide wet bench and computational labs for programs in biotechnology, biophysics, biofuels, environmental engineering, imaging, and sensor development. Enabling students to engage in collaborative research with academic and industry partners, the four-story structure will include classrooms, lecture halls, administrative offices, core labs, and support spaces.

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is building the CAD$400 million Patient Support Centre in Toronto. Designed by B+H Architects, the 22-story, 525,616-sf project will provide education, training, and administrative facilities. Two additional sub-grade floors will house a simulation center with advanced virtual reality technologies for the SickKids Learning Institute.

Rice University opened the $38 million Kraft Hall for Social Sciences in February of 2020 in Houston. Designed by Rogers Partners, the four-story, 78,000-sf building provides five state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, seminar and conference rooms, student lounges, administrative and faculty offices, and a multipurpose venue able to accommodate 300 people.