Scientifically Advanced Research Complex Completed at Arizona State

Studio Ma has unveiled their innovative, scientifically advanced building concept created for Arizona State University’s planned ISTB-7 — an interdisciplinary science and research complex with a vast atrium biome full of plants and water.

ASU Science Center

Bringing together regenerative and bioclimactic technologies, ISTB-7 is conceived as a highly sustainable science and technology center for the ASU Tempe campus. The transit-oriented solution includes a light rail station, and the structure’s climate-responsive, regenerative technologies transform it into a source of energy, water, carbon and other nutrients.

The Studio Ma design for the Interdisciplinary Science & Technology Building, or ISTB-7, ensures it will produce enough carbon, energy, water and waste to achieve triple net-zero performance. To do so, ISTB-7 building materials absorb carbon and convert it to life-giving nutrients for durable materials and enriched soil. Its atrium biome purifies waste air, and a wetlands landscape recycles water using natural, bio-based methods. Rainwater is collected, and sun shades keep the interiors cool and comfortable.

Materials incorporate ASU’s own cutting-edge scientific research on integrated carbon-capture technology. Methods to save and produce energy include air currents, evapotranspiration and photovoltaics. The complex treats and recycles sewage for use as greywater using low-energy, bio-based systems. With its rail transit connection, the complex creates a new campus gateway.

Featured

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).

  • Sam Houston State University Completes Athletic Stadium Renovations

    Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, recently announced the reopening of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium after an extensive renovation project, according to a news release. The university partnered with Stantec and DLR Group for the project’s design.