3rd Place, Whole Building
Through its 30 years of developing life science ecosystems and campuses, Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. has fostered deep relationships with leaders in biotech research, which has positioned it as a trusted partner for life science real estate. When called upon by a previous client to help establish a new presence in the Greater Houston area, Alexandria Real Estate Equities looked to Gensler to help breathe new life into a dated research campus.
The design team worked with Alexandria Real Estate Equities to reposition the existing campus and its buildings as part of a new master plan for Alexandria Center for Advanced Technologies at The Woodlands. For the buildings, the architectural and interior design focused on increasing their access to natural light and outdoor spaces. The biggest challenge the design team faced was in reworking the layout to turn the single-tenant property into a multi-tenant campus that prioritized the tenant experience. The resulting layout relocates the main entrance to face a central lawn and courtyard and modernizes the main building with move-in-ready labs and shared amenity spaces, including indoor and outdoor fitness and wellness spaces, as well as conference and event spaces.
The architectural vision was to maximize light and expand vistas; the natural daylight-lit labs, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, are a stark contrast to the original structure. 
BEFORE: The original site was a highly industrial campus consisting of many buildings that limited how the campus felt and functioned. 
The fusion of innovative design, respect for nature, and the adaptive reuse of space celebrates a building that not only stands out for its beauty, but also for its commitment to people-centered placemaking and the enhancement of the human experience. 
BEFORE: The design team reworked the layout to turn the single-tenant property into a multi-tenant campus that prioritizes community building. 
The team created a space that not only accommodates the needs of today’s researchers, but also inspires innovations of tomorrow. 
The amenity spaces within the Alexandria Center culminate to create an ecosystem that showcases the Alexandria brand, scientific research and harmony with nature. 
BEFORE: The existing Collab space underwent a complete transformation and now serves as the vibrant heart of the campus, a striking contrast to its formerly sterile environment. 
The outdoor spaces encourage scientists to step out and breathe in the inspiration that nature offers; a sculpture from the existing campus was reused in the meditation garden. 
Building diagram 
Site plan
PHOTOS and DRAWINGS: Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc.; BEFORE PHOTOS: Grant Gay
One of the most significant retrofitting hurdles was navigating the dense mechanical systems required for lab operations, particularly on the roof, and finding efficient routes for new mechanical infrastructure.
Another major focus was the dramatic retrofit of the façade. The design retained the precast panels but repainted them and replaced all window units to maximize daylight and outward views. The new façade employs a dichroic glass curtainwall that reflects colored light in a nod to NASA innovation developed out of the Johnson Space Center for the application of ultra-thin coatings of metal upon surfaces, including glass.
The reuse of the existing fire stairs and elevator core was dictated by code and the functional need to accommodate large equipment carts. The central utility plant was cleverly placed and partially upgraded to improve energy efficiency, aligning with the broader campus strategy of reusing infrastructure.
From the 3-story atrium lobby, attention is guided upward by an open stair that emulates the left-handed twist of a protein ribbon. Commissioned artwork on the opposite wall spans the height of the atrium and speaks to the spirit of collaboration within the building: individual dots of vibrant color compose larger shapes that overlap to form a dynamic whole. Likewise, the Alexandria Real Estate Equities brand is expressed collectively throughout the main building, including in the attention given to placemaking, inspirational art, occupant wellness, and connections to the outdoors to create people-centered spaces that also reinforce community and the campus’ locality in The Woodlands. Each brand touchpoint culminates to tell the story of the Alexandria Center for Advanced Technologies and inspire its anchor tenant’s scientists, who are working to treat cancer and inflammatory diseases by empowering the body to activate or inhibit the natural process of protein degradation.
Beyond the lab and office spaces lies the Collab, a flexible multipurpose space with an adjacent boardroom that is open to all tenants. The Collab, with its double-height ceilings and open views to the campus on the north and east sides, can accommodate a variety of seating options in a luxurious atmosphere. The Collab serves as a welcoming gathering place, softened by cascading vines and warm wood elements and enlivened through color and selective use of inspirational neon. The café buildout features a grab-and-go fridge and a barista station. Phonebooth nooks are outfitted with convenient power outlets, and the pantry is equipped with microwave ovens and ample storage.
The coupled boardroom shares a glass partition wall with the Collab space and provides a moment to celebrate connections. The glass partition utilizes two contrasting finishes with linear patterns that call back to the local wooded area of The Woodlands, enabling a filtered view into the boardroom and the wall opposite. On it, a large vinyl of a Carl Sagan quotation celebrates the interconnectedness of all people, overlaid with a neon installation of a fragment of a quote from Leonardo da Vinci asserting the interconnectedness of all things. Above the large table hangs a geometric white and gold light fixture representing a primary structure of a protein.
Adjacent to the Collab are the prefunction space and two multipurpose rooms that serve as a large, dedicated meeting and event space and can be configured with various seating arrangements for conferences. The prefunction space features artwork with hues of purple, green and blue, emulating the colors found in cellular research. Seating vignettes are staged for step-out calls, and millwork lines the wall for event catering. The centralized location of the multipurpose rooms allows for ease of access for tenants to utilize, as well as opportunities for Alexandria Real Estate Equities to open the space to the surrounding community to host conferences and events.
The ground floor of the Phase I building houses four move-in-ready labs, Alexandria Real Estate Equities’ approach to providing commercial lab space to young science companies that are growing quickly. These highly sophisticated, cost-effective laboratories drive novel therapeutic innovation forward in a collaborative, modern environment. Each lab space is complemented by fully equipped laboratories, integrated but separate office space, kitchenette break pods and conference space. Daylight streams in from each end of the lab suite, breaking the traditional mold of closed-off, fluorescent-lit lab spaces. Exposed ceilings and modern fixtures and finishes give an elevated feel to lab/office spaces ready for next-generation research companies to plug and play.
The project achieved LEED Gold and Fitwel 2-star certifications through a comprehensive sustainability strategy focused on outdoor connectivity, efficient resource use and healthy materials. The team documented significant reductions in water (50 percent) and energy use (17 percent) and installed tenant-specific meters to encourage conservation. Sustainable materials, regional sourcing and low-emission products were prioritized while waste-management plans reduced waste by 75 percent.
Judge’s Comment
A true ‘metamorphosis’ of type from the mundane, typical science laboratory building archetype to something incredibly special. The common areas are particularly well-done and the exterior detailing exquisite—shattering the mold!
Daryl Johnson, AIA, NCARB, president, Johnson Architecture
Retrofit Team
Client: Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc.
Architect: Gensler
General Contractor: DPR Construction
Commissioning Agent: GMC CX
MEP Engineer: Wylie Engineering
Structural Engineer: IMEG
Civil Engineer: Walter P Moore
Landscape Architect: SWA
Lighting Consultant: HLB Lighting
Materials
Architectural Coating: Duranar XL from PPG
Ceiling Solutions: Armstrong World Industries
Insulation: K-13 from International Cellulose
Curtainwall: 1600 Wall System from Kawneer
Graphic Film: 3M Scotchcal ElectroCut
Glass: Viracon
Markerboard: Teknion
Window Shades: Mecho
Metal Wall Panels: Morin
Laminate: Formica and Wilsonart
Wallcovering: Acrovyn from Construction Specialties
Paint: Sherwin-Willams and Benjamin Moore
Acoustic Wall Panels: ARO Plank 6 from FilzFelt
