Construction has started on a $135 million medical research centre in Queensland, designed by John Wardle Architects in association with Wilson Architects.
Located on the Royal Brisbane Hospital campus in Herston, Brisbane, the new Smart State Medical Research Centre (SSMRC) will become a leading medical research facility for the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR).
The new building will be a focal centerpiece for QIMR, including a dramatic entry atrium, advanced laboratories and support offices, Wilson Architects said.
The 13-level research building for the purposes of medical research is being built by Watpac’s construction division.
Upon completion the facility will attract an additional 400 scientists and students, support new research programmes and allow for the expansion of QIMR’s education programme.
The construction of the new research hub will enable QIMR to increase its capacity to perform world-class medical research aimed at improving the health of all people.
The capital expansion will allow the introduction of the Mental Health Research Division, a new direction for QIMR, and is aimed at improving understanding of serious mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. The new building will also enable significant expansion of QIMR’s Indigenous Health, Tropical Health, Biosecurity, and Cancer and Genetics research.
“Watpac is developing a very strong track record in laboratory projects in Queensland, and the QIMR project contributes to our impressive portfolio of over $660 million worth of laboratory projects,” Watpac managing director, Greg Kempton, said.
