Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

University of Arkansas Research Facility Reaches Construction Milestone

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/11/23

Construction on the Institute for Integrative & Innovative Research (I3R) on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., recently reached a significant milestone, according to university news. Workers completed steel framing and placed the first column of cross-laminated timber, a staple of the facility’s environmentally conscious design.

“These buildings are proof of concept in terms of time-efficiency, cost savings, and a safer construction site,” said Peter MacKieth, Dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, in a New York Times article about mass timber design and construction on university campuses. Cross-laminated timber is a pre-fabricated word panel made from dimensional plans of lumber that have been stacked, glued, and laminated in perpendicular layers. It has become more popular in construction thanks to its low environmental impact and ease of use.

According to the university website, the facility will measure in at 144,000 square feet and was designed to inspire collaboration, innovation, and integration. Its location on campus was deliberately chosen to encourage interaction among different disciplines. The facility will house state-of-the-art technology, lab space, research equipment, and collaborative spaces built to help the community at large workshop ideas.

“The university is doubling down on its commitment to excellence in research,” said Margaret Sova McCabe, interim vice chancellor for research and innovation. “In serving the entire university, I3R and this new, state-of-the-art facility will augment our collective research capabilities and strengthen Arkansas’ profile as a leader in research and innovation.”

The university partnered with Hufft and HGA Architects for the building’s design. Its form and façade echo the nearby forest landscape; its timber roof will allow daylight to filter into the main atrium, while the front and back porches will both connect the building to the environment while suggesting a sense of openness to the university community.

The facility is scheduled to open during the fall 2024 semester.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Image courtesy of Kahler Slater

    UW–Madison Announces Completion of Morgridge Hall

    The University of Wisconsin–Madison recently announced that construction is complete on Morgridge Hall, a new academic building, according to a news release. The facility opened September 3 at the start of the fall semester, consolidating the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences into a single facility for the first time.

  • Indiana Wesleyan University Schedules Grand Opening for New Welcome Center

    Indiana Wesleyan University recently announced that it will soon open a new Welcome Center on its campus in Marion, Ind., according to a news release. The facility will serve as the home base for prospective students and their families to learn more about the university and student life there. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 19.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.

  • Photo credit: Elkus Manfredi Architects

    University of Virginia Selects Design-Build Team for New Residential Complex

    The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., recently announced that it has selected a design-build team for a new upper-class residential development on campus, according to a news release. Capstone Development Partners—in partnership with Elkus Manfredi Architects and the Hoar Construction/Hourigan construction team—will move forward with the three-building, 310,000-square-foot housing facility.