University of Michigan opens six-storey mass timber research building

The University of Michigan has opened its first mass timber building, bringing 22 research laboratories together within a six-storey structure in Ann Arbor. Designed by RDG Planning & Design, the 142,000-square-foot College of Pharmacy combines timber with steel and concrete to meet the demanding requirements of a modern research facility.

The project was approved by the university’s Board of Regents for $141 million. RDG has described the hybrid structure as the world’s tallest mass timber research building, while the university’s opening announcement identifies it as the first mass timber structure on its campus without making an international ranking claim.

Timber Frame Designed for Laboratory Use

The building demonstrates how mass timber can be incorporated into technically demanding laboratory environments. Its structural system uses timber alongside steel and concrete, reflecting the additional requirements associated with research spaces, specialist equipment and laboratory operations.

“Mass timber allowed us to think about sustainability, technical performance and human experience as one idea,” said Benjamin Kroll, the RDG architect and senior partner who led the design. The approach was intended to combine environmental considerations with the functional demands of a major pharmacy research facility.

Fire protection was also given particular attention. Detection and suppression systems specified for the project exceed baseline fire codes and standards, including provisions for laboratories where solvents and precision instrumentation are used.

Mass timber also provides an inherent fire-resistance characteristic. When exposed to flames, its surface can char, creating an insulating layer that protects the material beneath.

Complex Site Created Construction Challenges

The project team had to overcome significant site constraints during construction. The building occupies a narrow plot on East Huron Street, where a 22-foot grade change and limited space for material storage added complexity to the construction process.

TD2 Engineering & Surveying provided structural design services. Alvine Engineering handled mechanical, electrical and plumbing work, while Midwestern Consulting was responsible for civil works.

Turner Construction managed the construction programme. Materials had to be coordinated carefully because there was very little space available for laying down supplies on the constrained site.

The building was therefore delivered in a setting that demanded detailed planning. Its hybrid structural approach also required coordination between different construction systems and specialist laboratory requirements.

Embodied Carbon Reduction Remains a Key Feature

The project’s environmental performance is a central part of its design story. RDG estimates that embodied carbon was reduced by 59 per cent when biogenic carbon is accounted for.

Earlier figures published by both the firm and the university put the reduction at 40 per cent while the frame was being constructed in April 2024. That figure was measured against structural steel alone and represented more than 1,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

The building’s energy performance is another focus. Its energy model projects a 62.3 per cent reduction in energy costs, according to RDG.

The results are particularly relevant because laboratories are among the building types with demanding energy requirements. High ventilation needs, specialist equipment and controlled environments can make research facilities both carbon- and energy-intensive.

New Facility Consolidates Pharmacy Research

The new College of Pharmacy building replaces facilities that had become increasingly difficult to adapt to modern laboratory needs. Vicki Ellingrod, dean of the college, described the development as an investment in the future of pharmacy.

“This is more than a building, it’s an investment in the future of pharmacy,” Vicki Ellingrod said. The college is marking its 150th year and has moved staff from a 1960 building on Church Street where narrow structural bays and shallow floor heights had restricted modern laboratory fit-outs.

The six-storey facility contains 22 laboratories, five classrooms, nine research pods and eleven huddle and study spaces. These facilities bring together a college that had previously operated across seven separate campus locations.

The building sits between the university’s central and medical campuses. Its location is intended to provide a consolidated base for teaching, research and collaboration.

Project Scope Expanded During Development

The development underwent significant changes after its initial approval. The Board of Regents first approved the project in May 2019 at $121 million, with an initial size of 130,000 square feet.

The project was paused in early 2020 as the university introduced pandemic-related capital restrictions. Work on a revised scheme resumed, with the Regents returning to the project in October 2022.

The revised design increased the planned size and raised the approved budget to $141 million. Updated project documentation scheduled completion for the autumn of 2025 and recorded an average of 116 workers on the construction site.

The completed facility was formally opened during a ribbon cutting and open house. Nearly 700 alumni, donors, faculty, staff and students attended the event.

The College of Pharmacy also holds a significant place in US higher education. It has been the first pharmacy school at an American public university since 1876.

Mass Timber Faces New Laboratory Tests

The Michigan project arrives as mass timber is being tested in increasingly demanding research environments. Laboratory buildings present particular technical challenges because their structural systems must accommodate specialist equipment, vibration requirements and intensive mechanical services.

Oregon State University is among the institutions exploring these applications. Its Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex, valued at $213 million, includes a wet laboratory being engineered to a 2,000 MIPS vibration limit on Freres mass plywood.

The comparison highlights the growing technical expectations being placed on engineered timber systems. Laboratory applications require more than conventional structural performance, particularly where sensitive instruments and specialised research processes are involved.

The University of Michigan project demonstrates how timber can form a major part of a research building while steel and concrete continue to provide complementary structural roles. Its combination of environmental objectives, laboratory functionality and advanced safety provisions positions the facility as an important example of mass timber’s expanding role in institutional construction.

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