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

  • Texas State University Completes Stadium Renovations

    Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, recently announced that it has completed a series of additions and renovations to its football stadium, according to a news release. Formerly known as the Bobcat Stadium End Zone Complex, the Johnny and Nathali Weisman Football Performance Center is an 85,000-square-foot expansion featuring hospitality spaces, banquet spaces, exterior concourses, and upgrades to the field house.

  • Construction Begins on East Austin CTE-Focused High School

    The Del Valle Independent School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new CTE-focused high school in Austin, Texas, according to a news release. Del Valle High School will measure in at 473,338 square feet and have the capacity for 2,400 students.

  • sapling sprouting from a cracked stone

    Lessons in Resilience: Disaster Recovery in Our Schools

    Facility managers play a pivotal role in how well a school weathers and recovers from a crisis. Whether it's a hurricane, a flood, a tornado, or a man-made event, preparation determines resilience.

  • Malibu High School Campus Completes $102M Phase 1 of Construction

    Malibu High School in Malibu, Calif., recently announced that it has completed phase 1 of construction for its new campus, a news release reports. The first phase consisted of developing and modernizing the site of a former elementary school into a new, 70,000-square-foot, two-story facility.

Digital Edition