AstraZeneca reveals designs for new Centre in Cambridge

AstraZeneca has revealed proposed designs for its new Global R&D Centre and Corporate Headquarters in Cambridge which will be located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC). The Global Centre will incorporate an R&D Enabling Building and an Energy Centre which will support the whole facility with energy and IT infrastructures.

Key features of the site include technology labs with glass walls to promote ‘visible science’, ensuring scientific innovation is the primary focus for all staff, both in R&D and other functions and a number of open spaces and thoroughfares to encourage collaboration not only within AstraZeneca, but also with the wider scientific community within the CBC and beyond.

The site will also be low rise including a central courtyard reflecting the unique architecture of the colleges of Cambridge University. and the company is seeking Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREAAM) Excellent status for the site. It will feature labs that represent best practice in low energy design and the largest ground source heat pump in Europe. “Green Roofs” will also be installed across the majority of the site.

Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President, Innovative Medicines & Early Development at AstraZeneca said: “We are very excited to be able to reveal the plans for our new site in Cambridge today, (July 18). Our aim is to create an open, welcoming and vibrant centre that will inspire our teams and partners to push the boundaries of scientific innovation.

”The new site will bring together AstraZeneca’s small molecule and biologics research and development activity, opening up opportunities to exploit the promise of biologics and small molecule combinations. The CBC will be the new UK home for biologics research and protein engineering carried out by MedImmune, AstraZeneca’s biologics arm. MedImmune already employs around 500 people at Granta Park, to the south east of the city.

“With our combined AstraZeneca and MedImmune portfolios we are already uniquely positioned to explore the promise of combination therapies in transforming the way patients are treated,” said Dr. Bahija Jallal, Executive Vice President, MedImmune. “Our new Global Research Centre in Cambridge will see AstraZeneca and MedImmune scientists working side by side to advance science in our core therapeutic areas. This will support and strengthen our focus on combining the expertise across our business to develop new ways to treat patients and tackle the significant unmet need that exists in areas such as oncology.

Herzog & de Meuron, are the architects selected to design the new site; building works are expected to start early next year with the new site coming online in late 2016.