Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

UMass Medical School Reveals Design for Nine-Story Research Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/21/21

The University of Massachusetts Medical School, located in Worcester, Mass., unveiled the design this week for its new, $325-million therapeutics research and lab center. The New Education and Research Building, measuring in at 350,000 square feet, was designed by architecture firms ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge and ZGF. The nine-story complex is scheduled to open in fall 2023.

“The New Education and Research Building plays a key role in the future of our institution,” said Michael F. Collins, Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. “By co-locating strategic research programs and leveraging the power of collaboration, we will be able to fulfill our vision of life-changing therapies for some of the most intractable diseases we face.”

UMMS New Education and Research Building
Photo courtesy of ARC and ZGF

According to a news release, the facility will house the Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, the Medical School’s Horae Gene Therapy Center, a new program in Human Genetics & Evolutionary Biology, the program in Molecular Medicine, an FDA-compliant manufacturing center for clinical trial therapeutics, and space for 77 principal researchers.

“At a time in our history when scientific discovery is so vital to public health, our team is proud to be designing a facility that will expand the mission and capacity of the UMass Medical research community,” said Bryan Thorp, Associate Principal at ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge. “Everyone involved with the project is inspired by the dedication and commitment of the individuals behind this ongoing Worcester success story.”

The building was designed to meet the sustainability goals of achieving Net Zero Energy and LEED Gold Certification. Architectural features include a double-skin façade, geothermal heat pumps, and high-performance systems. Interior spaces integrate natural daylighting with active circulation and open, collaborative spaces to encourage productivity and a safe, healthy work environment.

“Through the mission of the UMMS researchers that will inhabit it and its high-performance architecture, the New Education and Research Building will address two grand challenges facing society: the threat of new and emerging diseases and the climate crisis,” said ZGF Partner Toby Hasselgren.

Terva | Trident will serve as the owner’s project manager, and Shawmut Design and Construction as the project’s construction manager.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • New Jersey Day School Opens New Science & Entrepreneurship Building

    Saddle River Day School (SRDS) in Saddle River, N.J., recently celebrated the grand opening of the new Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science & Entrepreneurship, according to a news release. The school partnered with DIG Architecture on the 32,000 square foot facility, completed on a 17-month construction timeline in time for the beginning of the new school year.

  • Western Kentucky University, Gilbane Announce “Elevate WKU” Partnership

    Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., recently announced that it has reached the financial close on a on a public-private partnership (P3) with Gilbane Development, according to a news release.

  • UNH Marks Construction Milestone on Oceanic Exploration Facility

    The University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H., recently celebrated a major construction milestone with a beam-signing ceremony for the new Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, according to a news release. The facility’s ultimate goal is to support research, training and technical assistance in ocean mapping.

  • California District Opens New Robotics Center

    The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) in Cupertino, Calif., recently held a Grand Opening ceremony for a new, district-wide Robotics Center, according to a news release. The 14,500-square-foot facility was designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA); Landmark Constructors served as the builder and Blach Construction as general construction manager.