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

  • 144-Year-Old High-School Campus Debuts New Academic Facility

    San Diego High School (SDHS) in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new student services and classroom building; the project is part of a larger SDHS Whole Site Modernization project that began in 2022.

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.