The International WELL Building Institute launched the WELL Health-Safety Rating for all building and facility types in June of 2020. The evidence-based, third-party-verified rating system focuses on operational policies, maintenance protocols, and design strategies for the post-COVID-19 environment.
Forsyth Technical Community College is constructing the $16 million Mazie S. Woodruff Aviation Technology Lab at Smith Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, N.C. Designed by Walter Robbs Callahan + Pierce, the 53,000-sf building will accommodate training programs in aircraft maintenance and avionics (aircraft electronics). The two-story facility will provide classrooms, teaching labs, and a 12,000-sf airframe lab capable of storing eight aircraft.
Hyundai Motor Company will break ground in October of 2020 on the Hyundai Mobility Global Innovation Center in Singapore (HMGICs). The 300,000-sf facility will be located on over ten acres in the Jurong Innovation District, an advanced manufacturing campus developed by JTC Corporation. Supported by funding from the Singapore Economic Development Board, the open innovation hub will accelerate the discovery of new sustainable mobility solutions.
The University of Warwick celebrated the opening of the £150 million National Automotive Innovation Campus in February of 2020. Located in Coventry in the United Kingdom, the four-story, 355,200-sf complex was created in partnership with Jaguar Land Rover, Tata Motors, and the Warwick Manufacturing Group. Designed as a catalyst for economic and workforce development, the National Automotive Innovation Campus will accelerate the creation of sustainable mobility solutions such as electrified and autonomous vehicles.
The National Center for Atmospheric Research broke ground in February of 2020 on a $22 million facility in Broomfield, Colo. Located at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, the two-story, 42,391-sf complex will provide advanced research labs for the study of weather, climate, and air quality. Offering sophisticated suites for instrument calibration, the project will support campaign planning and briefing activities for NCAR's field missions, as well as accommodating two research aircraft.
Aerospace manufacturer Blue Origin opened its new headquarters and research facility in January of 2020 in Kent, Wash. Designed to accommodate approximately 1,500 employees, the 232,885-sf O'Neill Building provides open offices, R&D labs, conference rooms, a staff lounge and kitchen, and an expansive gathering space adjoining the lobby to encourage collaboration and interaction. Supporting the company's recent growth, the structure is sited on over 30 acres adjacent to Blue Origin's former headquarters, which has been renamed the Verne Building.
Siemens Mobility Limited is planning to build a rail innovation campus in Goole in the United Kingdom. Designed by Arup and AHR, the 860,000-sf complex will include a £200 million manufacturing center and the Rail Accelerator and Innovation Solutions Hub for Enterprise (RaisE) to support collaborative research with academic and industry partners. The first phase of RaisE's construction comprises a £6 million, 34,400-sf structure providing offices, labs, and support space. Production is expected to begin at the site in 2023.
The U.S. Department of Transportation broke ground in late October of 2019 on the 400,000-sf John A. Volpe Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Mass. Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the project involves the construction of a $750 million transportation research facility sited on four acres, which will be funded by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The remaining ten acres currently occupied by the Department of Transportation will be released to the university for mixed-use development.
Ford Motor Company is planning a comprehensive redevelopment of its research campus in Dearborn, Mich. Designed by Snøhetta to promote collaboration and innovation, the master plan for the Research & Engineering Center will create an integrated network of empowered workplaces, state-of-the-art labs, advanced production facilities, and inspiring meeting spaces. By significantly increasing building density, Ford will be able accommodate over 20,000 employees at the site and consolidate other Michigan locations.
The University of Colorado Boulder opened the $101 million Aerospace Engineering Sciences Building in August of 2019. Designed by HCM (Hord Coplan Macht) and RATIO Architects, the collaborative 178,294-sf facility provides bioastronautics labs, high bay spaces, workshops, fabrication suites, interactive classrooms, faculty offices, a 200-seat auditorium, and an indoor flight environment for unmanned aircraft.
Royal Caribbean Cruises began construction in June of 2019 on its $300 million headquarters in Miami. Located on Dodge Island, the 10-story, 350,000-sf facility will provide open-plan offices and collaboration spaces to promote connectivity. Designed by HOK to mitigate the potential risks of climate change, the structure's lobby will be located 15 feet above sea level, and critical building systems will be sited on upper levels for maximum resiliency.
Centennial College opened the CAD$72 million Downsview Campus Centre for Aerospace and Aviation in April of 2018 in Toronto. Designed by MJMA in association with Stantec, the project included the renovation of the historic de Havilland Aircraft building to provide classrooms, teaching labs, and research space for programs in aviation, aircraft maintenance, and aerospace manufacturing. The 137,000-sf facility is sited on four acres and includes a hangar capable of accommodating commercial jets.
GKN Aerospace is planning to build the £32 million Global Technology Centre in Bristol in the United Kingdom. The 108,000-sf facility will accommodate 300 engineers engaged in collaborative research on additive manufacturing, advanced composites, and next-generation aircraft production. The public-private project is supported by £15 million in government funding and is slated for occupancy in 2020.
Cranfield University began construction in January of 2019 on the Digital Aviation Research and Technology Centre (DARTeC) in Cranfield in the United Kingdom. Designed by Burrell Foley Fischer, the £65 million project will provide technology-rich laboratory spaces adjoining a live aerodrome with a hangar, a 737-400 aircraft, an intelligent movement area, and a remote air traffic control center with next-generation radar systems.
Park Electrochemical Corporation is planning a $19 million expansion of its aerospace design, development, and manufacturing operations in Newton, Kansas. Doubling the company's existing footprint at the Newton City-County Airport, the 90,000-sf facility will accommodate new mixing and delivery systems, hot-melt film and tape production lines, secure joint project suites, labs, offices, and additional freezer and storage areas. Construction will begin by mid-2019 with completion expected in spring of 2020.
