Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

UArizona Constructing Flexible Research Spaces for Interdisciplinary Projects

University of Arizona broke ground this week on its new Grand Challenges Research Building, a 115,000-square-foot facility that will house a variety of labs, offices and flexible research spaces.

"Grand Challenges" refers to the second pillar of UArizona's five-pillared "living" strategic plan. The Grand Challenges pillar involves "tackling society’s biggest challenges by enabling discoveries that will fundamentally shape the future."

To that end, the new seven-story building will will serve a wide range of functions. According to UArizona, the ground floor will include "public spaces, study spaces and meeting rooms to support student engagement and instruction."

The three floors above that will include "laboratories and offices dedicated to faculty growth in the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences."

The remaining three floors will be "dedicated to research laboratories and offices for centers and cross-campus interdisciplinary programs, including the new Center for Quantum Networks, led by the College of Optical Sciences."

UArizona Constructing Flexible Research Spaces for Interdisciplinary Projects
Source: University of Arizona/ZGF Architects and BWS Architects.

The cost of the building was reported at $99 million. It will be connected to the Meinel Optical Sciences Building. Construction is expected to be completed by February 2024. Design is being handled by ZGF Architects and BWS Architects. Construction for the project is being handled by Kitchell Contractors, which was also "the contractor for the university's Health Science Innovation Building, a 220,000-square-foot building that opened in 2019," according to UArizona.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • CU-Lock Haven Receives $1.75M Gift for New Entrepreneurship, Media Center

    Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in Lock Haven, Penn., recently received a $1.75-million donation from entrepreneur and alumnus Nicholas Subich ’17, according to a university news release. The funds will go toward establishing the Nicholas Subich Center for Entrepreneurship and Media, a technology-driven hub for innovation and experiential learning.

  • Haws Corporation Marks 120th Anniversary

    Haws Corporation, which provides hydration and emergency safety solutions worldwide, recently announced that the company is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, according to a news release.