University Research Park (URP) recently partnered with Valerio Dewalt Train (VDT) to produce a master plan meant to enliven and densify the office park’s existing facilities. A master plan was created with the intention of carving a new road from a bordering main artery street and adding below-grade parking to leave the ground level open for public space and amenities accessible by foot.
The master plan caught the eye of Exact Sciences, a molecular diagnostics company, which led to the company committing to working with URP and VDT to design an office building to serve as its headquarters. The new facility would bring together their executive and R&D teams into a single, collaborative, amenity-rich space.
The 135,000-sf building’s final design, which was shaped by biophilic design principles, comprises two interconnected volumes that sit on the northeast corner of the newly platted site, directly linking to the R&D labs on the south-eastern side. The curving enclosure of the primary volume is composed of bands of glass, ceramic print panels, and a zinc cladding that will patina over time. The exposed concrete structure lifts the organically shaped upper floors to give the appearance that the building is floating over the ground plane and exposing the wooden finish of its underbelly.
A double-height lobby is inset underneath while the second floor connects to the southern volume with a large cafeteria space expressed on the exterior with a rectilinear balcony that meets the street. The adjacent glass and steel volume, dubbed “the link,” connects to the labs with a stair and backlit panels that glow during evening hours.
Levels three through five feature desks, meeting rooms, and office amenities. Vertical circulation and services are tucked into the building’s core, which pushes the desk areas to the periphery to provide employees with unobstructed access to natural light and exterior views via floor-to-ceiling glazing. Additionally, three levels of parking are tucked beneath the ground plane.
Along with VDT, the build team also included Potter Lawson (interior designer), Findorff (general contractor), Smith Group (civil engineer), Thornton Tomassetti (structural engineer), and AEI (MEP and fire protection).
Related Stories
Retail Centers | May 3, 2024
Outside Las Vegas, two unused office buildings will be turned into an open-air retail development
In Henderson, Nev., a city roughly 15 miles southeast of Las Vegas, 100,000 sf of unused office space will be turned into an open-air retail development called The Cliff. The $30 million adaptive reuse development will convert the site’s two office buildings into a destination for retail stores, chef-driven restaurants, and community entertainment.
Mixed-Use | Apr 23, 2024
A sports entertainment district is approved for downtown Orlando
This $500 million mixed-use development will take up nearly nine blocks.
AEC Innovators | Apr 15, 2024
3 ways the most innovative companies work differently
Gensler’s pre-pandemic workplace research reinforced that great workplace design drives creativity and innovation. Using six performance indicators, we're able to view workers’ perceptions of the quality of innovation, creativity, and leadership in an employee’s organization.
Laboratories | Apr 15, 2024
HGA unveils plans to transform an abandoned rock quarry into a new research and innovation campus
In the coastal town of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., an abandoned rock quarry will be transformed into a new research and innovation campus designed by HGA. The campus will reuse and upcycle the granite left onsite. The project for Cell Signaling Technology (CST), a life sciences technology company, will turn an environmentally depleted site into a net-zero laboratory campus, with building electrification and onsite renewables.
Mixed-Use | Apr 4, 2024
Sustainable mixed-use districts: Crafting urban communities
As a part of the revitalization of a Seattle neighborhood, Graphite Design Group designed a sustainable mixed-use community that exemplifies resource conversation, transportation synergies, and long-term flexibility.
Office Buildings | Apr 2, 2024
SOM designs pleated façade for Star River Headquarters for optimal daylighting and views
In Guangzhou, China, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has designed the recently completed Star River Headquarters to minimize embodied carbon, reduce energy consumption, and create a healthy work environment. The 48-story tower is located in the business district on Guangzhou’s Pazhou Island.
Adaptive Reuse | Mar 30, 2024
Hotel vs. office: Different challenges in commercial to residential conversions
In the midst of a national housing shortage, developers are examining the viability of commercial to residential conversions as a solution to both problems.
Sustainability | Mar 29, 2024
Demystifying carbon offsets vs direct reductions
Chris Forney, Principal, Brightworks Sustainability, and Rob Atkinson, Senior Project Manager, IA Interior Architects, share the misconceptions about carbon offsets and identify opportunities for realizing a carbon-neutral building portfolio.
Office Buildings | Mar 28, 2024
Workplace campus design philosophy: People are the new amenity
Nick Arambarri, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, NCARB, Director of Commercial, LPA, underscores the value of providing rich, human-focused environments for the return-to-office workforce.
Office Buildings | Mar 27, 2024
A new Singapore office campus inaugurates the Jurong Innovation District, a business park located in a tropical rainforest
Surbana Jurong, an urban, infrastructure and managed services consulting firm, recently opened its new headquarters in Singapore. Surbana Jurong Campus inaugurates the Jurong Innovation District, a business park set in a tropical rainforest.