While interdisciplinary dialogue has always been the cornerstone of universities, the Information Age has pushed research to become more integrated than ever. Understanding that scientific research today requires cooperation and cross-pollination between different disciplines and institutions, Rice University has planned a 477,000-sf facility that will connect researchers at Texas Medical Center to the university community. Strategically located between the two adjacent campuses, the Collaborative Research Center brings the inside of the university out, engaging Texas Medical Center and welcoming the City of Houston.
At the heart of the Rice University Collaborative Research Center is a central “collaborative hub.” This cylindrical core, expressed in the building's form, will serve as the center of intellectual and social exchange in the building. Unlike traditional laboratories, the CRC will encourage students working for different principal investigators to mix in the collaborative hub. Each floor of the hub is open in plan, containing student workstations and a double-height lounge in the space defined by the communicating stair; the open staircase promotes social interaction between floors. Principal investigators will occupy rows of offices adjacent to the collaborative hub. Researchers will share certain equipment and resources in a "scientific marketplace" at the base of the hub. On the ground floor, a restaurant and café provide opportunities to continue conversations started in the collaborative hub, and are a welcoming feature of the building's urban interface.
Back to Top