DuPont Pioneer, Inc.

This 132,000 SF facility is the latest addition to Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.’s Johnston, Iowa research campus. Designed to meet the client’s expansion needs through the year 2005, the building houses 24 laboratories, support spaces, and office space for both the research community, as well as for the company’s general population. In addition, 5,000 SF of insect rearing operations are accommodated in a lower level basement.

The 132,000 SF, three-story facility is composed of two distinct wings. One wing contains the laboratories and their support spaces along with office space for researchers working in the new labs. The other wing contains office support functions for the entire building, additional research community offices, and general non-research related office expansion. A three-story open “Commons” containing bridges between the two wings and a dramatic cantilevered stair, acts as a general gathering space where scientists meet and interact outside of the laboratory environment.

Drawing upon the model of the client’s highly successful existing laboratories and open office plan buildings, the structure is connected to the rest of the campus by on-grade concourse links to create an enclosed, landscaped courtyard with other existing buildings. Composed from a palette of brick masonry and aluminum curtainwall, the resulting exterior expression is a blend of building elements used previously on the campus with the intent to unify several recent building projects.

Executed as a “fast-track” project, the building’s construction was begun only four months after the beginning of the design process. BBS Architects | Engineers worked very closely with the Owner and members of the construction team in order to achieve this goal, and to help complete the $17.5 million project within the required one year construction period.