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King Abdullah Univ. of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. Design: HOK/Oger International. Photo: Sam Fentress
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The King Abdullah Univ. of Science and Technology campus, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, has been named Laboratory of the Year (new construction category) for 2011. This LEED Platinum project consists of 5.5 million ft2 of facilities on 100 acres and was planned and engineered by HOK, with Oger International, Paris, as the architect of record. The campus includes 2.1 million ft2 of lab facilities, accompanied by housing, schools, recreational facilities, retailing and other services to support a community of up to 20,000 people. KAUST also includes a business incubator and research park.
The project was completed on an accelerated schedule of 30 months from start to finish, driven by the goals of its patron, King Abdullah, to diversify the country’s economy. Highlights include a highly flexible and adaptable lab environment, integration of research and economic development, and integration of buildings with the environment. A complete profile of KAUST will appear in the upcoming May/June issue of Laboratory Design newsletter. The annual Laboratory of the Year competition is sponsored by R&D Magazine and SEFA, the Scientific Equipment and Furniture Assn.
