Research and Development

Kadans Science Partner is constructing a 139,000-sf facility in Cambridge in the United Kingdom that will catalyze the discovery of new therapies, medical devices, and digital healthcare solutions. Providing fully fitted, best-in-class research environments, Merlin Place will offer CL2 wet labs, dry labs, and dedicated office spaces. A flexible structural grid with adaptable floor heights will support a range of configurations in the building, which will utilize a modular layout to accommodate multiple tenants or a single entity.

University of Arizona Health Sciences broke ground in late October of 2024 on the Center for Advanced Molecular and Immunological Therapies (CAMI). Delivered by the design-build team of SmithGroup and McCarthy Building Companies, the transformational project will serve as a physical and metaphorical gateway to the Downtown Phoenix district and the Phoenix Bioscience Core.

The Canadian Centre for Advanced Material Manufacturing (CCAM) opened in Mississauga in fall of 2024. The transformation of the existing building was designed by the Canada FIRST joint venture, a collaboration between HOK, Architecture49, and WSP. The ambitious project represents the first milestone in the Laboratories Canada program, a strategic initiative by the federal government aimed at modernizing and enhancing science facilities across the nation.

Texas A&M University broke ground in November of 2024 on the Space Institute in Houston. Designed by Energy Architecture, the $200 million building is strategically sited on 32 acres at NASA's Exploration Park, just outside the access-controlled area of the Johnson Space Center. The 400,000-sf structure will provide sophisticated environments for aeronautics research and the development of advanced robotics.

UK Research and Innovation opened the £93 million National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) in Harwell in October of 2024. Located on the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Campus in Oxfordshire, the 43,055-sf facility features sophisticated dry research environments where multidisciplinary teams can design, build, and operate quantum computers. Available to users from across industry and academia, this purpose-built hub is envisioned as a catalyst for the discovery and the scale-up of commercially viable technologies.

How do you know if an existing building has what it takes to house a new specialty laboratory? The planning effort has to go beyond the typical process for a conventional lab renovation of defining program needs and investigating existing conditions. It must instead drill down into the unique aspects of the specialized environment, including illuminating the key attributes of the already-occupied and operational facility. 

Breakthrough Properties celebrated the opening of a 510,000-sf life sciences campus in San Diego in October of 2024. Designed by Flad Architects, Torrey View by Breakthrough offers state-of-the-art wet labs for the development of novel therapies and technologies, as well as flexible workspaces and collaboration areas. An iconic tessellated envelope allows interior floor plates to be infused with natural light, maximizing occupant wellness and energy efficiency without compromising performance.

Colorado State University broke ground in October of 2024 on ATLAS, the Advanced Technology Lasers for Applications and Science facility in Fort Collins. Created in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fusion Energy Sciences program, the development is made possible by a $150 million public-private partnership with Marvel Fusion. A trio of ultra-high-power lasers that can be used separately or in combination will drive innovative discoveries in clean energy, medicine, and fundamental research.

MilliporeSigma, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, opened a $317.2 million facility in Rockville in October of 2024. Located in the Alexandria Center at Traville Gateway, the 260,000-sf building provides advanced laboratories for biosafety testing, analytical development, viral clearance, and cell bank manufacturing. The project represents the company's largest investment to date in contract testing operations.

Prior to the development of a master plan for expansion of research facilities at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), campus facility planners conducted a 15-month strategic visioning initiative that resulted in the creation of a digital space planning and visualization tool called PREVIEW.

Aviva Investors is constructing the 60,000-sf Sidney Sussex Building in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Located at the Chesterford Research Park, the 60,000-sf life sciences facility will provide 10 individual laboratory environments in an inspiring natural setting. Each fully fitted suite will include open office areas and wet lab space equipped with benches, sinks, and fume hoods, supported by a dedicated plant room located on the same level. A floor of shared conference venues will promote collaboration and exchange.

AstraZeneca officially opened The Hub on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in October of 2024. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, this dynamic amenities center offers inviting settings for collaboration, engagement, and relaxation that are available to both corporate employees and the local community. The facility's 39,460-sf internal floor area accommodates a fitness center, treatment rooms, and areas for health screening and occupational health services. Other features include a nursery and preschool, a café, a bar, a shop, and an inviting garden.

King Street Properties has announced the substantial completion of the South Building at the Landing, a purpose-built complex for biomedical innovation. Designed by Perkins&Will, the seven-story, 300,000-sf facility offers 46,500-sf floor plates and advanced MEP systems to support a 60/40 lab-to-office ratio. Robust research programs can be accommodated by 15-foot deck-to-deck heights, with expansive 20-foot heights available on the ground floor.

Breakthrough Properties is constructing a 225,000-sf life sciences facility in Philadelphia. Designed by KieranTimberlake, the nine-story building will offer best-in-class research environments for biomedical and pharmaceutical tenants. The purpose-built structure will feature open floorplates with highly flexible lab zones that can accommodate a wide range of programs.

The U.S. Department of Energy broke ground in September of 2024 on the Energy Materials and Processing at Scale (EMAPS) facility in Golden, Colorado. Located on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's South Table Mountain Campus, the $224 million development will create a direct path from bench-scale materials and process innovations to pilot-scale integration and production.