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Design

The design and structure of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery are intended to foster collaboration across the sciences that will result in breakthrough discoveries that benefit the world, and engage the public in the sciences and arts in new and unexpected ways.

Since design of the building began in late 2006, planners have held more than a dozen focus groups, meetings and informal discussions involving hundreds of people to ensure the building design process is inspired and informed by the insights of faculty and staff from across the UW–Madison campus, as well as local business leaders.

Town hall meetings introduce building plans

Throughout the month of October 2007, UW–Madison and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) hosted a series of town hall meetings on campus to inform the university community about the latest building plans for the institutes.

At the meetings, attendees learned about the innovative plans for the facility, which includes public and retail venues; wet and dry labs; educational outreach space; and social areas to encourage collaboration. They also had the opportunity to view models and artists’ renderings of the plans.

Photo of a model of the proposed Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery as seen from an aerial view from the southwest.

The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, composed of the public Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID) and the private Morgridge Institute for Research, will occupy the 1300 block of University Avenue between Campus Drive and University Avenue.

Image of a diagram over an aerial map of the proposed location for the Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery, showing proximity of Engineering, Medical Sciences, Genetics/Biotech, Microbrial Sciences and other science departments.

Surrounded by the College of Engineering, Medical Sciences Center, Genetics/Biotech Center, Microbial Sciences building, and the departments of biochemistry, chemistry, computer sciences and physics, the institutes will serve as a scientific crossroads.

Photo of a model of the proposed Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery as seen from an aerial view from the southwest.

The four-story building will contain approximately 106,000 assignable square feet of research space, including wet and dry laboratories, research support areas, core facilities, and offices.

Photo of a model of the proposed Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery as seen from an aerial view from the southwest.

The ground floor will house a vibrant “town center” for use by scientists, the university community and the community at large. It will include a soda fountain and coffee bar; “breakout” rooms for meetings and outreach events; and a round forum in the middle, designed for flexible use. (View larger version.)

Layout of the second floor showing location of labs and research pods.

Floors 2-4 will house the research laboratories. Each floor will include a research “pod” dedicated to the Morgridge Institute, one for WID, and an integrated pod for scientists from both institutes. (View larger version.)

Rendering of an atrium and research area on the second floor of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery building.

Two atria on either side of the building (one to the north and one to the south) will insulate the research labs from traffic noise, provide ample natural lighting from skylights and offer views of the town center below.

Photo of a model of the proposed Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery as seen from an aerial view from the southwest.

The facility is being designed and built with sustainability in mind. The project’s leaders and architects are seeking LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council to ensure the institutes meet the highest standards for environmental responsibility and occupational health.