Collaborative Life Science Building: Three Institutions Combine Resources to Advance Inter-Institutional Research
Diane Kase, LEEP AP®, HKS – Earl Walls Associates
David Piper, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, SERA Architects
The Collaborative Life Sciences Building (CLSB) is a unique, multi-use facility, housing undergraduate science education, medical and dental professional programs, and advanced biomedical research. Located on a new campus within a dense urban area, the facility is designed to accommodate extremely low vibration space planned for the Oregon Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine's state-of-the-art electron and optical microscope equipment. Project challenges include an existing brownfield site and a joint-ownership involving three institutions: Oregon Health Sciences University, Oregon State University, and Portland State University (PSU).
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of the project was an uncompromising schedule combined with the design of a new research paradigm for a group of unidentified researchers. The building was designed as a fast-track construction project in under 10 months. While the building has spaces dedicated to specific institutions or departments, such as teaching laboratories for PSU, simulation laboratories for the School of Nursing, and operatories for the School of Dentistry, the research laboratories were designed for collaboration between departments and across institutions to create dynamic, collaborative, adaptable research spaces.
The CLSB is envisioned to be a collaborative health science and life science instructional/research center, bringing together the state's leading academic and research resources in related sciences as well as other public and private partners. This interdisciplinary setting creates an environment that promotes the following:
- Improved undergraduate and postgraduate academic outcomes in the life sciences and healthcare professions.
- Accelerated discovery among the basic life sciences.
- Rapid translation of basic research.
- Stimulation of state and regional economic development.
- Partnerships with industry and government stakeholders.
This presentation gives an overview of the project and building metrics, focusing on the research programs for the CLSB. The speakers will present the owners and their visions for the project, as well as the institutions' and departments' research goals. The speakers will explain the challenges of the site, schedule, and budget, and how these impacted the pursuit for LEED® certification. The speakers will present their process for addressing the various parties' concerns to create baseline, adaptable laboratories for collaborative research, as well as highlight specific issues, discuss lessons learned, and present recommendations for working in complex multi-use collaborative models. In addition, the speakers will examine how to address the most challenging component of inter-institutional research—governance of operations.
Biographies:
Diane Kase, a project manager with HKS – Earl Walls Associates, began her laboratory planning career with Earl Walls Associates 22 years ago; Earl Walls Associates was acquired by HKS in 2011. Ms. Kase has extensive laboratory programming and planning experience working with many government, private sector, and institutional clients. She understands the relationship among these clients and the importance of the recent trend to create broadly based synergistic collaborations to enhance academic outcomes, accelerate discovery, and capitalize on technologies. Ms. Kase received a Bachelor of Science in design from Arizona State University.
David Piper is a project architect with SERA Architects, in Portland, Oregon. Mr. Piper's 18 years of experience in aquarium, healthcare, and technology and science projects enables him to lead the strategy and implementation of complex construction documentation and detailing. Mr. Piper is currently serving as Project Architect for the Oregon University System/Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) Collaborative Life Sciences Building and OHSU Skourtes Tower Project in Portland, Oregon; a multi-use facility including leading research and imaging laboratories, designed to achieve LEED platinum.
Mr. Piper is a licensed architect in the state of California, and graduated with a bachelor of architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, and is a LEED AP.