May 22 2015
Arup, a multidisciplinary engineering and consulting firm with a reputation for delivering innovative and sustainable designs, announced today the groundbreaking of the $150 million, nine-story, 170,000 SF Boston University (BU) Center for Integrated Life Science & Engineering.
From left, J. Kenneth Menges, Jean Morrison, Gloria Waters, Boston University President Robert Brown, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh and Robert Knox (C)Arup/Julian Astbury
Designed by Payette, a leading architectural design firm in Boston, Mass., the modern and sustainable facility will bring together life scientists, engineers and physicians in a visionary research center with flexible research facilities for the multidisciplinary faculty and students. BU administrators and Boston city officials were joined by the design team and community members to mark the start of construction on Thursday May 14th.
"Boston University has emerged as a major private research university in a relatively short period of time, in the last few decades, and it was not by accident. It was by intentional design, much like the design that went into this facility," BU President Robert Brown said at the ground-breaking ceremony.
Facilitating collaborative interdisciplinary research efforts for which adjacent space is essential, the Center will be a major addition to BU's physical infrastructure and will accommodate seven key areas of research: photonics, synthetic and systems biology, systems neuroscience, data science, global health, urban health and infectious disease.
"Arup is pleased to be on Payette's team to realize Boston University's vision for this leading-edge project that sets new standards for resiliency, sustainability and collaborative research space," says Julian Astbury, project director and associate principal in Arup's Boston office.
As part of the engineering design team, Arup is implementing smart-building techniques to achieve client goals of energy efficiency, sustainability, environmental protection, and end-user comfort. Arup is providing mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineering, sustainability, and IT/Communications consulting.
Arup's clients in science span academic, institutional and corporate sectors, bringing best practice from sector to sector to help clients create more cost-effective, sustainable and adaptable facilities. Projects include the UMass Lowell Health and Social Sciences Building, Northeastern University Integrated Science and Engineering Complex, Richard Weeks Hall of Engineering at Rutgers University, College of Health Professions at Sacred Heart University, Westfield State College's new Science Center, and Brown University's Building for Environmental Research and Teaching.