Breaking ground in Oregon: A first-of-its-kind mass timber lab harnesses the expertise of the Pacific Northwest to tackle global challenges
The Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex at Oregon State University officially broke ground today. Designed by ZGF and a project team of consultants, the Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex will be the first all-mass-timber lab in the US that meets rigorous vibration criteria (2000 MIPS) for experimental research labs. It provides the structural stability necessary for the use of sensitive scientific equipment.
The design and construction team posing at the groundbreaking ceremony in Corvallis, Oregon.
We discovered over the course of planning that with careful coordination between the structure and building systems, mass timber works really well for research buildings. Working with a wood structure forces you to be more rigorous about how you design.
Vladimir Pajkic, lead designer and Partner at ZGF
The $213 million complex — made possible by two $50 million gifts: one from the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation, and one from OSU alumni couple Lori Mills Huang and Jen-Hsun Huang — will be a dynamic home for team-based transdisciplinary research and a teaching center. It provides space for specialized research to solve critical challenges facing the world in areas such as climate science, clean energy and water resources. The complex will also harness one of the nation’s most powerful supercomputers, and advance research and learning in artificial intelligence, robotics and materials science.
The three-level building features flexible experimental and computational laboratories, a 12,000 SF clean room, undergraduate student programed space, and cross-functional collaborative spaces designed to advance research.
The project team tapped into the specialized knowledge of the Pacific Northwest to achieve a first-of-its-kind mass timber structure. ZGF worked with OSU’s College of Forestry to leverage their expertise in wood and regional forestry practices, attaining certification for the use of MPP (Mass Plywood Panels) for the structure.
The lab interiors feature MPP columns, beams, and a composite deck that reduces the project’s carbon footprint by 108% over traditional structures.
The project team includes AEI for mechanical, engineering and plumbing design, KPFF for structural and civil engineering, Anderson Construction as the general contractor, and PLACE Design for landscape. The project is set to complete in 2026.
The Future of Labs is Mass Timber
