1000 Discovery Drive – Practical Completion

SDC has achieved practical completion of 1000 Discovery Drive, located within the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. The five-storey building comprises 103,000 sq. ft. of laboratory and office space and is part of the current wave of expansion underway at this site in Cambridge.

Indeed, the campus is already home to academic research departments of the University of Cambridge and its School of Clinical Medicine, as well as a number of renowned hospitals, including CUHT and the Royal Papworth Hospital, as well as Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

The buildings simple form complements the complex services strategy, whilst the striking red and gold façade responds to the changing requirements of a multi-occupied building. The main feature of the design however is a compelling entrance structure. An abstract structural tree supports the second floor slab and provides a welcoming focal point for the building. The design feature symbolises the coming together of science, discovery, and architecture.

The new building incorporates curated internal and external communal spaces alongside state-of-the-art laboratories and flexible office space, adding valuable additional amenities for the whole campus. These facilities include break-out collaborative spaces and a café with external plaza. The newly provided green spaces have also been landscaped to encourage biodiversity, whilst cycling and related changing facilities have been developed to support green commuting.

The building's commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles can be seen in the development as 1000 Discovery Drive aims for a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating. The building also features a solar array with a generating capacity of 970 kWp.

Prologis UK, investor and owner of the scheme, has secured a 15-year lease from Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUHT) for the top floor of the new facility. Covering 23,000 sq.ft., this space will host an ultra-modern histopathology unit, supporting diagnostic pathology services, clinical trials, and biotechnological research into various diseases.

Now complete, 1000 Discovery Drive stands as a beacon of innovation, collaboration, and sustainability within the vibrant Cambridge Biomedical Campus. As it opens its doors, the facility is poised to significantly contribute to the advancement of life sciences and biotechnological research in the region.