Research and Development

Cincinnati Children's broke ground on the $42 million Winslow Research Pavilion in September of 2024. The three-story, 45,000-sf building will enable teams of physicians, investigators, research nurses, data managers, laboratory scientists, and investigational pharmacists to engage in collaborative discovery. The Gamble Vaccine Research Center will occupy the top two levels, with a floor offering 16 beds for adult overnight studies situated above offices for outpatient studies.

Clemson University is constructing the Advanced Materials Innovation Complex in Clemson, S.C. The 143,000-sf facility will feature collaborative research suites where teams of investigators can discover new technologies for advanced manufacturing, energy, and health. HOK's innovative design for the center strengthens interdisciplinary synergies by collocating the Department of Materials Science and Engineering with select faculty from the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center is constructing the $105 million Campus Operations and Research Excellence (CORE) building in Omaha. Designed by LEO A DALY, the six-level, 180,870-gsf structure will feature three stories of state-of-the-art wet labs, including a 30,800-sf floor for research programs in oncology, drug discovery, and other strategic priorities. Approximately 61,600 sf of leasable shell space will accommodate private tenants or supply additional capacity for future growth.

Scripps Research Institute opened the Chi-Huey Wong Laboratories for Biomedical Research in August of 2024. Creating a new gateway to the La Jolla campus, the 83,000-sf structure provides leading-edge environments for drug discovery and development. DGA was the architect for the collaborative facility, which features interconnected open laboratories and a double-height lobby.

Attovia Therapeutics is relocating to 26,000 sf at Brittan West, a recently completed life sciences center in San Carlos, Calif. JLL acted as leasing agent for the facility, which will enable the company to expand its research activities and accelerate the creation of novel biotherapeutics for immune-mediated diseases. Access to world-class amenities will enhance collaboration and optimize the employee experience.

The University of California, San Diego will begin construction on the Multidisciplinary Life Sciences Building in fall of 2024. Designed by Flad Architects, the 200,000-sf project will be the first campus development that collocates health science research with biological science research and teaching. The multiuse facility advances the university's goal of fostering unprecedented inter-unit partnerships.

The U.S. Department of Energy dedicated the $75 million Grid Storage Launchpad in August of 2024 at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash. Accelerating the development of novel decarbonization solutions, the 85,000-sf facility provides 30 energy research labs, multiple conference rooms, and open office areas with flexible workstations for 100 staff members. 

Eli Lilly and Company opened the $700 million Lilly Seaport Innovation Center (LSC) in Boston in August of 2024. Developed by Alexandria Real Estate Equities and National Development, the 346,000-rsf facility offers Class A research environments for biomedical discovery. The 12-story structure also houses the first Lilly Gateway Labs on the East Coast to enable biotech start-ups to collaborate with Lilly scientists.

One United Properties began construction in August of 2024 on One Technology District, a semiconductor R&D center in Bucharest, Romania. Infineon Technologies will occupy the facility and has committed to a 15-year lease that represents a total contract value of $62.2 million. Positioned to become the largest semiconductor hub in southeast Europe, the innovation complex will offer a gross leasable area of 222,000 sf, including 32,000 sf of next-generation lab space. 

Highly accurate badging data generated by workers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Md., is giving space planners and administrators powerful new insights for making more efficient space planning decisions in the post-pandemic era. As the nation’s largest Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Center, the 450-acre campus consists of nearly 4 million sf of space, including cutting-edge cybersecurity, spacecraft, and robotics facilities. Badging data from APL’s 8,000-plus workers provides detailed information for comparing projected space needs with the hybrid utilization behaviors established during the COVID-19 pandemic. These new data-driven insights are now being used to inform decision-making for high-cost capital construction projects and short-term space planning initiatives. 

The Oxford Science Park is expanding in the United Kingdom to provide sophisticated environments for research and discovery. Three new buildings will rise in the innovation district, which is majority owned by Oxford University's Magdalen College. Designed by Scott Brownrigg, The Daubeny Project will offer a total of 450,000 sf of leading-edge life science space supported by enhanced lab infrastructure. Dramatic colonnades on the ground floor will open onto light-filled areas for reception, interaction, and collaboration.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham broke ground on the Biomedical Research and Psychology Building in late June of 2024. Designed by Williams Blackstock Architects, the $190 million development will provide the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine and the Department of Psychology with wet and dry research environments and associated support spaces. The flexible and adaptable facility will incorporate activity-based layouts that enable users to access diverse work platforms that enhance creativity and productivity.

The University of California has selected Flad Architects as executive architect for the UCLA Research Park Master Plan Study, a roadmap for the transformation of the former Westside Pavilion shopping mall in Los Angeles into a nexus for discovery and innovation. Leasable lab and office environments will enable industry, academic, and government partners to benefit from collocation with two multidisciplinary research centers.

BeiGene opened an $800 million center for biologics manufacturing and research in July of 2024 in Hopewell, N.J. Sited on 42 acres at the Princeton West Innovation Campus, the development provides 400,000 sf of dedicated space for commercial-stage production of cancer therapies. A 100,000-sf lab building accommodates clinical R&D suites and collaborative office settings. As BeiGene's U.S. headquarters and flagship manufacturing facility, the highly flexible complex integrates universal design principles to create an adaptable, human-centric environment.

Carnegie Mellon University is constructing the $100 million Robotics Innovation Center in Pittsburgh. Designed by Perkins Eastman, the three-story, 150,000-sf facility will feature reconfigurable high-bay labs and flexible R&D venues that address robotic systems at different scales. Open wet labs will allow interdisciplinary teams to engage in group projects, supported by a range of specialized shops and instrumentation suites.