University of South Florida, Interdisciplinary Research Building

Tampa, Florida

Firm

Perkins and Will

Client

University of South Florida

Area

150,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$19,000,000

Completion Date

06/2005

The University of South Florida Interdisciplinary Research Building forms part of the university’s 230,000-square-foot Research Park, which is situated in the southwest portion of the campus.
Housing the latest technology for biology, biophysics and chemistry laboratories, the building caters to a mix of private companies and in-house research faculty from different disciplines and provides spaces for collaborative interaction. To serve these means, the four-story, 150,000-square-foot building was designed as a series of flexible lab modules of 900 square feet each with 20 modules per floor. The core of the building is composed mainly of office spaces, with laboratory spaces placed along the perimeter to allow for maximum daylight and ventilation.
The first floor houses biophysics (robotics and engineering) laboratories; the second floor, biology laboratories; and the third and fourth floors, chemistry and BSL-3 animal research facilities, respectively. It is one of the first laboratory facilities in the country to allow for maximum flexibility in its research spaces with 80 percent movable equipment. This allows for each space to transform based on its users’ particular needs.