Research and Development

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is planning to establish a biomedical research facility in Suffern, N.Y. The company recently invested $39 million to acquire the 235,000-sf Avon Innovation Center. Sited on 10 acres, the three-story structure originally housed chemistry labs and support spaces for the development of cosmetics, fragrances, and skincare products. HLW designed the facility, which was constructed between 2003 and 2005 by Skanska USA Building.

Colorado School of Mines opened the $19.4 million Labriola Innovation Hub in February of 2024 in Golden, Colo. Designed by OZ Architecture, the 37,260-sf building features collaborative project studios and maker spaces where faculty, students, alumni, and industry partners can discover new solutions for critical societal problems. This campus-wide resource for invention supports both physical and computational approaches to ideation, prototyping, and testing.

Incubators are essential to the development of many innovative ventures, but it’s in the stage between venture and company where many going concerns stop going. That’s when they don’t know exactly how much space or how many people they will need, and how fast the operation can grow. If they lock into a spot, they can end up choking on the lack of space or drowning in more space than they need or can ultimately afford. This is especially true of research labs.

Providence Health Care is planning to construct the CAD$638 million Clinical Support and Research Centre in Vancouver. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects and Kirsten Reite Architecture, the 370,000-sf facility will collocate world-class research labs with specialty physician practices to accelerate the translation of medical discoveries into solutions for patient care. Collaboration spaces will be intentionally woven throughout the building to promote interdisciplinary exchange between researchers, clinicians, and industry partners.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas opened the $73 million Advanced Engineering Building in February of 2024. Designed by SmithGroup in association with PGAL, the 52,000-sf facility will enable the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering to increase total enrollment from 3,000 to 5,000 students to address a national need for skilled professionals. On the ground floor, a flexible classroom is strategically sited next to a maker space to foster the application of academic knowledge to hands-on exploration.

AstraZeneca is investing $300 million to establish a cell therapy manufacturing facility in Rockville, Md. Developed by Alexandria Real Estate Equites, the Class A+ property is located in the vibrant innovation ecosystem of the Alexandria Center for Life Science at Shady Grove. AstraZeneca has executed a 13-year lease for the entire 84,264-rsf building.

The University of California, Irvine is constructing the $250 million Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building to accelerate the discovery of new modalities for disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Designed by LMN Architects, the 215,000-sf structure will provide advanced wet labs where teams of investigators will engage in cross-disciplinary research. Featuring integrated collaboration venues and support spaces, the project will also include offices, meeting rooms, and a vivarium.

The University of Texas at El Paso is constructing the $80 million Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center to provide the College of Engineering with leading-edge environments for research, teaching, and innovation. The four-story, 93,000-gsf facility will feature hands-on learning venues where students can gain the crucial skills needed by local employers such as NASA and Blue Origin. Offering research labs, fabrication suites, high bay spaces, and administrative offices, the highly flexible structure will initially house the Aerospace Center and the W.M.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities opened a 215,000-sf life sciences center in early 2024 in San Francisco’s Mission Bay district. Designed by IwamotoScott Architecture in association with DGA and Powell Architecture, the seven-story building provides 133,000 sf of Class A lab space, 50,000 sf of office space, and 2,600 sf of ground-level retail.

University Health Network of Toronto, Canada’s largest research healthcare system, increased space efficiency and improved employee morale by reengineering its practices and workspaces to accommodate a hybrid work model. Of the 6 million sf occupied by the network, 1 million sf was office space, 200,000 sf of which was used by people who could be hybrid workers. The transition required a concentrated change management strategy, an investment in technology, and a reconfiguration of space and the way it was managed.

Breakthrough Properties broke ground in February of 2024 on a 175,000-sf life sciences center in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Designed by Henning Larsen and Feilden+Mawson, the five-story building will offer modern, flexible laboratories with integrated write-up areas. Vitrum by Breakthrough will also provide world-class offices, meeting rooms, collaboration spaces, and amenities. On the ground floor, a spacious lobby will open onto a landscaped square, complemented by outdoor terraces on the upper levels.

The University of Portland opened the $40 Million Shiley-Marcos Center for Design & Innovation in January of 2024. Designed by Opsis Architecture with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the 43,800-sf building features collaborative environments for hands-on learning and discovery. The cross-disciplinary structure provides maker spaces, ideation studios, prototyping and fabrication suites, a propulsion and combustion lab, and dedicated shops for working with metal, wood, and electronics.

Imperial College London opened the £120 million Laboratory of Medical Sciences in January of 2024 on the Hammersmith Hospital Campus. Designed by Hawkins\Brown to support team science, this collaborative hub for translational research accommodates programs in genetics, sex-based disease differences, and heart and metabolic disorders. The 130,000-sf structure features highly controlled lab environments carefully interwoven with comfortable write-up spaces and shared amenities.

Tulane University opened the Steven and Jann Paul Hall for Science and Engineering in January of 2024 in New Orleans. Designed by Payette and Waggonner & Ball, the 76,000-sf building offers flexible research venues, sophisticated classrooms, and common spaces for increased student and faculty interaction.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) began construction in January of 2024 on the Research & Discovery Centre in Toronto. Designed by TreanorHL and KPMB Architects, the 389,341-sf facility will catalyze the translation of medical breakthroughs into new solutions for patient care. This centralized home for CAMH’s research enterprise will feature open lab and office environments, space for clinical trials, and communal settings illuminated by natural light.