A flexible, mega-lab solution to the University’s challenges

University of Florida - Chemistry/Chemical Biology Building (CCB)

To better serve its science program, the University of Florida commissioned the design of a new Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB) building. The fundamental goal was to provide state-of-the art lab facilities in the context of a highly interactive, cross-disciplinary work and study environment. 

This new 111,000-square-foot building provides undergraduate teaching laboratories and support space for organic and general chemistry as well as graduate-level research space for chemical biology and chemical synthesis. A central element in the lab planning was the maximization of environmental aspects, including natural daylight, visibility, air quality, and acoustics. Plus, the design team and client re-examined the fundamental organization and methods used for teaching undergraduate chemistry. The result? Significant departures from traditional approaches to the organization of teaching labs. 

The design allows the university to expand teaching capacity in an open, collaborative, and flexible environment that incorporates the newest teaching practices and technologies and anticipates the ability to adapt to new technologies as they evolve.